


Neighbors—With Benefits

by rains_dawn



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Banter, Car Sex, Casual Sex, Controlling Kakashi, Dirty Talk, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Masturbation, Semi-Public Sex, Spying, This just turned into a soap opera, Voyeurism, i know it's cliche but the movies make it hot and so will i, i'm not even joking, in the rain, like on top of car sex, mostly by kakashi, neighborhood parties, nurse sakura, potlucks, swat kakashi, they're both dumb
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:54:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 33,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24547219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rains_dawn/pseuds/rains_dawn
Summary: Moving to a new neighborhood proves to benefit Sakura in more ways than one. And that ‘one way’ comescompletelyout of left field.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura/Hatake Kakashi
Comments: 266
Kudos: 471





	1. the neighbor

**Author's Note:**

> Absolutely _no_ clue where this fic is going. All I know is it’s going to be a tease-fest and it’s just meant to be silly and, idk, fun? I think we all need some of that right now. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

  
  


“This is some _bull_ shit _.”_

  
  


“I know, I mean—Yuki is _just_ as much to blame as Aiko—“ 

  
  


“And don’t forget Himari.” 

  
  


“Oh my _word,_ how could I forget Himari.” 

  
  


Sakura grabs a handful of the Hot n’ Spicy Cheez-Its that lay in her lap. Ino, reaching over every once in a while, would grab a similar amount with her eyes still plastered to the television screen. 

  
  


“The Bachelor— Fire Country” was airing a new episode. 

  
  


“I mean,” Ino said mid-chew, “Yuki actin’ like a straight up _hoe_ getting in that tooth-floss of a bikini and walking around like no one notices.” 

  
  


“Yeah, but it’s like Himari doesn’t even want to be there.” Sakura points out. “She’s just an instigating little tyrant.” 

  
  


“Word.” 

  
  


Sakura sighs and shakes her head—eyes still glued to the screen. She grabs her wine glass from the coffee table and takes a sip as she continues to munch on her snack. At the same time checking her watch to see when their pizza is supposed to arrive. 

  
  


“Time?” Ino asks, as if reading her mind. 

  
  


“8:30.” 

  
  


Sakura looks down at her phone for a moment, loading up the app to see if the driver is on the way. It shows her that he is, so she leaps up from the couch to put her shoes on. Ino throws her a thumbs up before diving into the cheez-its once more, allowing Sakura to step out into the cool night air. 

  
  


The door closes behind her and she hugs herself, looking left and right. She can see her breath as it escapes her lips and hits the cool autumn air—and it’s when she looks to her side that she notices her mailbox is filled to the brim. 

  
  


“Shit.” she mumbles to herself as she extracts the multitudes of envelopes sticking out from the lid. 

  
  


She rifles through them and separates any that don’t immediately make her heart stop with the phrase **past due.** Though she does pause at a few that seem to have been delivered to the wrong address. A few envelopes read 17 Ishi Way instead of 15. 

  
  


Her eyes travel over to her next door neighbor—someone she’s only seen brief glimpses of. They come and go at odd hours of the day and night. And from what she can tell, they have an _absurd_ amount of dogs. Too many for one singular person to have. She breathes a heavy sigh and stalks down her front steps, looking over to see if she can get a glimpse of a car in the driveway. 

  
  


She sees one—oddly enough. And the floodlight above the garage is on as well. Leading her to believe that someone has just come home. It’s already getting dark, so she can’t really see into the yard. 

  
  


After a few moments of deciding for or against, she gathers up the few envelopes in her hands and leaps down her driveway. She keeps throwing glances to see if she can detect anything, but the yard is empty and she can’t find a trace of life worth a damn. 

  
  


She moved into her modest bungalow-style home about two months ago, and though she’s already met most of the neighborhood, _this_ particular neighbor still remains a mystery. She would be offended—if she ever got a definitive _look_ at them. For all she knows her neighbor could be some crotchety old person or some dude with a super secret lifestyle. The latter, she figures, is probably reaching. 

  
  


As she walks into her neighbor’s driveway, she notices how the light _inside_ of the garage is on and she tilts her head at the slight raucous she can hear from inside. She looks left and right once more—finding there is no one around to see her awkwardly standing in front of her neighbors’ driveway. She clears her throat and straightens herself—ascending the neatly kept cobblestone path peeling off from the asphalt and to the front door. 

  
  


She steels herself and wrings out the nerves in her shoulders, feeling her heartbeat quicken for some inexplicable reason. She has a pizza and fifteen minutes of The Bachelor that she was missing all because of some stupid _mail._

  
  


Sakura lifts her finger to the doorbell and pushes until a faint ring sounds—waiting patiently as she hears what she thinks to be the garage door slam shut. She turns to her side and pretends to notice the shrubbery lining the house or the trees that litter the fairly expansive yard. It's well-kempt, from what she can tell. Which leads her to believe that it could be a woman living in this home. 

  
  


But when she hears the door open and immediately turns her gaze towards it, she can’t help the slight opening of her mouth as confusion and shock set it. 

  
  


It was a man. Rather, a very _handsome_ man. A man who, if she had to hazard a guess, she would _never_ figure was living right next to _her._ He’s got the most interesting head of hair. A nice silvery color that screams _fox_ but she banishes the thought as quickly as it enters her mind. He’s dressed in a simple white t-shirt and black sweats. In all honesty, it’s not much. But on _him_ he looks—

  
  


“Hi.” she suddenly hears as he interrupts her out of her thoughts. 

  
  


He gives her a smile and it’s then that she realizes she must look utterly _ridiculous_ with her mouth hung open and just standing on his stoop with her brows pinched. She shakes her head and puts on a smile. 

  
  


“I’m so sorry—” she musters to say as she brings his mail in front of her, “I know it’s late. I was just checking my mail and noticed I have some of yours.” 

  
  


“Oh.” he says with a thankful tone and returns her smile. She hands over the envelopes and watches as his hands—his large and very _defined_ hands—take them from her grasp. 

  
  


“I have no idea how long I’ve had those.” she admits and he only laughs in return. 

  
  


“No worries. I have a habit of not checking my own.” 

  
  


“Exactly.” she says, pushing a stray piece of hair out of her face. She notices the look on his face—how it's turned slightly confused as he looks left and right. She backs up as he steps out onto his stoop. 

  
  


“Where do you live, again?” 

  
  


“Oh.” she says, a bit of shock in her voice. She stalls—because for a second she suddenly forgot where she lives? He looks even more confused as she looks to her right and points to her house. “There.” she says with a sort of crazed laugh. “I live there.” 

  
  


He nods his head in understanding and lets out an _ah_ sound. “You just moved in.” 

  
  


“Yes! I did. Two months ago.” 

  
  


“Oh, geez.” he says, bringing a hand to the back of his neck and she can’t help but notice the curve of his bicep as he does so. “I hadn’t realized it’s been that long.” 

  
  


She shoots him a confused look. “How do you mean?” 

  
  


“Well, I would’ve introduced myself sooner.” 

  
  


“Oh.” she says with a wave of her hand. “It’s fine. I’m sure we would have run into each other at some point.” 

  
  


They both laugh—hers a bit crazed, as usual, and he extends his hand. “I’m Kakashi.” 

  
  


“Kakashi.” she repeats and smiles as she takes his hand in hers. It’s warm and inviting and she finds that she doesn’t want to let go. “I’m Sakura.”

  
  


“Sakura.” he says softly and she can’t help but blush at the small smirk that forms across his lips. 

  
  


There’s a brief pause, and for a second Sakura thinks he’s toying with her. What with the way he’s still holding her gaze and _still_ has her hand in his grasp. Tentatively, he looks over to her house—and she does the same. 

  
  


“Looks like your pizza’s here.” 

  
  


“Huh?” 

  
  


He wiggles his brow and she looks over towards her house. The pizza man has just pulled up and she wrenches her hand away. She doesn’t _not_ notice the way he puts his hands in his pockets. How his chest turns inward and she can see the outline of his pecs under his thin t-shirt. 

  
  


She tries her best not to stare for too long and just nods her head—backing away. “Right.” 

  
  


He takes a few steps backward and into his house and continues to watch her—that same sort of smirk on his face as he leans himself against his door frame. 

  
  


“Um, I guess, uh—“ she stammers as she backs away from the stoop. “I’ll see you around?” 

  
  


Kakashi cocks his head and throws her a _look._ A look that reads—

  
  


“Here’s hoping.” 

  
  


She doesn’t say anything. _Can’t_ really. Not when he’s looking at her like that. Like he really does hope to see her again. And she does as well. Even if it does _zero_ help to her blood pressure, though...

  
  


She supposes she can make that sacrifice. 

  
  


“Right. Yes. I, um—“ she stammers once more as she finds herself at his driveway. “I hope so too.” 

  
  


“So long, _neighbor.”_ he offers once more before waving her off and shutting the door behind him. She nods her head—to no one—before turning to descend the driveway.

  
  


And it’s then that Sakura realizes she can breathe again. 

* * *

  
  
  


“Where _were_ you—“ 

  
  


“Ino, shut up for two seconds and listen to me.” 

  
  


Sakura places the box of pizza on the coffee table and sits herself down. Gathering Ino’s undivided attention as she does so. She grabs Ino’s hands in hers and brings them to her lap, pausing and looking into her eyes with an excited face. 

  
  


“I met my neighbor.” 

  
  


Ino wrinkles her brow and gives her an odd look. “Neighbor.”

  
  


“ _That_ neighbor.” 

  
  


She sighs and shakes her head. “You’re gonna need to be _a lot_ more specific.” 

  
  


Sakura groans and throws her hands in the air—dramatically. “My next door neighbor! _The_ next door neighbor. The one I haven’t met yet.” 

  
  


“ _Ohhh!”_

  
  


_“Yeees.”_ Sakura drawls and rolls her eyes. 

  
  


“And?” 

  
  


“Well…” Sakura says and stares somewhat longingly past Ino’s head. 

  
  


“Oh no.”

  
  


“What?” 

  
  


“Who is he?” 

  
  


Sakura wrinkles her brow. “Why do you automatically assume it’s a ‘he’?”

  
  


Ino throws her an unimpressed look. “This.” she says and waves her hands around. “Says it all.” 

  
  


“I’m offended.” Sakura notes as Ino rolls her eyes. “And you’re right.” 

  
  


“Knew it.”

  
  


“Ino—” Sakura says with a serious tone. “He is,” she pauses, “ _fine.”_

  
  


Ino raises her brow and laughs. “Oh? How so?” 

  
  


“He just—” Sakura pauses to breathe and fans herself. “He’s a man’s man. You know?”

  
  


“Oh, I know.” 

  
  


“And he just seems like he takes care of himself, you know?” 

  
  


“Uh-huh. I know.” 

  
  


“Like, his lawn is all nice and neat and from what I could see his house was clean.” 

  
  


“Gotta have that.” 

  
  


“Gotta have that.” Sakura repeats as she leans over and lifts the box to reveal the large pizza they had ordered. 

  
  


Silence coats the room and they both take a slice. Sakura takes a bite and contemplates for a moment. A defeated sigh escapes her as she looks towards Ino—who at the same time lets out a similar sigh and mirrors her stare.

  
  


“Don’t—”

  
  


“It probably won’t—”

  
  


“Here we go.”

  
  


“Turn into anything.” 

  
  


“There it is.” 

  
  


Sakura shoots her an incredulous look. “What?” 

  
  


“This always happens.” Ino says with a frustrated laugh as she collapses against the couch. “You meet some cute guy, hit it off and end up with _nothing_ because you think ‘it won’t turn into anything’.” 

  
  


“He’s my _neighbor.”_

  
  


“So?” 

  
  


Sakura shrugs her shoulders. “Isn’t that...weird?” 

  
  


“What’s weird is you thinking it’s weird.” 

  
  


“That makes no sense.” 

  
  


“You make no sense.” 

  
  


“Are you just trying to confuse me?” 

  
  


Ino shrugs. “If it shuts you up.” 

  
  


Sakura shakes her head and throws her gaze back at the television. Yuki is in another scandalous number—big shocker there. It makes Sakura roll her eyes once more as she settles back into the couch—noticing Ino do the same. Thankful that, for the time being, their conversation about her neighbor will be put on hold. Though, since it was Ino she was talking about, it probably won’t be for very long. 

  
  


As she stares at the TV and works on a second slice of pizza, she can’t help but let her thoughts linger to the conversation she had just moments ago. It’s not like it was the most _titillating_ conversation she ever had. But it _for sure_ grabbed her attention. The fact that he left her with a ‘here’s hoping’ did not help her case in the slightest. 

  
  


She tries her best to breathe through what she can only describe as nerves—feeling _completely_ adolescent but…

  
  


She won’t let it get to her _too_ much. 

  
  



	2. more, more, more

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura wants more. What that entails, she doesn’t know. Nonetheless, the stage is set for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! SO surprised by the response this got. I’m honestly floored. Thank you all so much.

Sakura tells herself that she’s a morning person. She’s a morning person in that she likes the  _ idea  _ of getting up an hour early. To shower. To have a cup of coffee. Maybe watch a show if it’s a work day and she has the time. Sure, it means losing an hour of beauty sleep but she  _ knows.  _ She knows that  _ one  _ hour means nothing and yet—

  
  


She gave into that hour. She gave in  _ so hard  _ that she slept through her alarm  _ twice  _ and could barely hear the knock that was coming from her door. 

  
  


She shoots up from her bed at the sound of what’s the doorbell now and swings her feet to the edge. Dizziness clouds her mind—but only for a moment and it’s not long before she’s able to put on a pair of sleep shorts. 

  
  


She glances down and nods her head, deeming herself presentable—even if her shorts  _ do  _ show off a good amount of cheek. But she’s not about to doll herself up for what she’s sure to just be the mailman dropping off a package. 

  
  


She wrenches open the door to her room and slams it shut before flying down the stairs and towards the front door. Stopping by the hallway mirror, she checks her hair and flattens it out some—tucking away the stray and flyaway pieces. 

  
  


Reaching the door, she turns the knob to pull it open and her eyes immediately widen. Her heart now pounding with an incessant beat.

  
  


Kakashi is on the other side. Standing with a warm smile on his face and his hands behind his back. She notices how his eyes widen just the slightest upon first seeing her. And how they dart up and down in what seems to be a millisecond. It’s then that she remembers the state of her dress. That she’s in a tank top that she’s outgrown and shows off her midriff. And to make matters worse her shorts are so short she may as well just call them underwear. 

  
  


He coughs and she lets out a breathy laugh before he says. “Hi.” and all she can do is wring her hands in front of her and return his smile. 

  
  


“Hi.” she replies, leaning against the door to make it seem like she  _ hadn't _ , in fact, just jumped out of bed. “Did you need something?”

  
  


“No—well,” he says with a sort of awkward laugh, “more so was going to ask you for a favor.” 

  
  


She tilts her head and crosses her arms. “Favor?” 

  
  


“Yeah.” he says and switches the position of his hands to put them in his pockets. “My work schedule is sort of chaotic. Luckily I’m able to be here during the day and get called out at night.”

  
  


Sakura nods her head and leans her shoulder against the door frame. She doesn’t bother asking what sort of work he does—though she’s not sure why she feels the need to refrain.

  
  


“Anyway, I have dogs. They’re friendly. But I need more sitters given the other neighbors’ busy schedules.”

  
  


She smiles and feels her shoulders perk up. Glancing down towards the hand in his pocket, he seems to be fishing for something and she watches as he pulls out a piece of parchment. “Here’s my number.” he says and she takes the small piece of paper between her fingers. “I can pay you, of course.”

  
  


“Oh,” she starts and waves a hand, “you don’t have to do that. We’re neighbors.”

  
  


He lets out a laugh and shakes his head. “I have eight dogs.” he points out and her eyes widen a bit in surprise. She knew he had a good number of dogs but—

  
  


“I know I’m already asking a lot. So please, just let me.” he says and she works her lips in thought. She’d really rather have him not. She’s not interested in his money and would much rather watch his dogs as an act of kindness. And she likes dogs—so it’s not as if she’s going out of her way. 

  
  


But nonetheless, she doesn’t push him. Because, she thinks, that he doesn’t seem to be the type who likes to be pushed. So she nods her head after a few moments and finds a look of relief on his face. 

  
  


“So that’s a yes? If it doesn’t interfere with your work schedule, of course.”

  
  


She nods her head. “Yes, Kakashi.” she says and he lets out a steady breath. “I’m a nurse and currently work the day shift, so, this should work out fine.”

  
  


He takes a step back and she does the same. “Um, here. Wait.” she says and looks behind her at her purse hanging from the coat rack. She fishes her hand through it to retrieve a piece of paper and a pen. Placing the paper against the wall, she scribbles down her number before looking over to him again. 

  
  


“Here’s mine.” she offers and he makes an  _ ah  _ sound. 

  
  


“Right, I definitely would have needed that.” 

  
  


She lets out a breathy laugh. “Or I could’ve just texted you mine.”

  
  


Kakashi shakes his head and looks down at his feet. “Technology...” he pauses and laughs, “alludes me sometimes.” 

  
  


“It’s fine.” she says and waves a hand in front of her. “I’ll just...wait for your call.”

  
  


“Great.” he says and puts the piece of paper with her number in his pockets. “And thanks again, Sakura. I really appreciate it.” 

  
  


She shrugs her shoulders. “What are neighbors for?” 

  
  


Kakashi nods his head. “Go back to sleep.” he insists and gives her a sort of salute before turning to walk down the short path. She smiles and watches him leave, allowing herself a moment to admire him before deciding to shut the door behind her.

  
  


She immediately puts his number in her phone and looks at it for a moment. Not exactly sure  _ why  _ and she knows it makes her seem like a  _ freak  _ so she turns the screen off to save herself the embarrassment. 

  
  


Glancing at the clock, she finds she wants nothing more than to just collapse back into bed as she ascends the stairs. Intent on doing just that. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


She doesn’t care much for sunbathing. 

  
  


And yet—here she is. On her deck. With Ino. In their swimsuits and bathing on her lounge chairs. She made mimosas earlier that day, per Ino’s request and they brought a pitcher out with them. 

  
  


It wasn’t a  _ terribly  _ hot day. But enough for Sakura to feel the sun’s rays prickle against her skin and blanket her with a subtle warmth. There’s a slight breeze, which Sakura is eternally grateful for and makes the act of just lying there that much more bearable. 

  
  


She hears Ino sigh and turns her head slightly to look over at the blonde. Content as can be with her legs kicked out and lounger reclined. 

  
  


And for Sakura...well—she can’t help the drift of her gaze that travels to her next door neighbor. She hadn’t quite noticed before, but she realizes then that she has an almost  _ perfect  _ view of his backyard from her raised deck. The way their houses are positioned, with hers a bit higher elevated than his, allows her to see the majority of his backyard. 

  
  


It’s well-kempt, from what she can tell. And she’s not surprised in the slightest. He has a raised deck—not dissimilar to hers and has stairs which lead down onto a patio. There’s a whole outdoor dining set and a grill and she wonders if he’s the type to entertain. Though from the  _ two whole  _ conversations she’s had with him she figures he’s anything but. As kind as he is—she just doesn’t figure him to be the type. 

  
  


“Anything new with the neighbor?” 

  
  


Sakura pulls out of her reverie and looks over to Ino—who has an eye cracked open and looking in her direction. She looks off for a moment, as if she’s thinking and makes a sort of  _ ah-ha  _ sound. 

  
  


“He dropped by the other day.” 

  
  


Ino pauses—an odd look on her face as she shifts her gaze forward. “I’m sorry. He ‘dropped by’?” she asks and Sakura shrugs. “And you’re only telling me this  _ now?”  _

  
  


“I hadn’t really thought to tell you.” 

  
  


Ino punches Sakura’s shoulder and she lets out a hiss in discontent. “He was just asking me to dog sit!” 

  
  


“I don’t care if he asked you to freaking water his garden—you tell me  _ everything.”  _

  
  


Sakura sighs and nods her head. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry.” 

  
  


Just then she hears what she thinks is a sliding glass door and she shifts her gaze past Ino to find a familiar figure stepping onto his deck. She feels her breath catch in her throat at the sight of him. 

  
  


He’s decided to forgo a shirt and Sakura can’t help the slight build up of moisture she feels in her mouth. She doesn’t notice the look of confusion on Ino’s face, but the blonde soon follows her gaze and makes a sound that Sakura honestly can’t quite describe. It’s a mix of surprise and something else  _ entirely _ . Ino looks back at Sakura with wide eyes and a face that reads,  _ is that him? _

  
  


“That’s him.”

  
  


Ino turns again and—

  
  


“Don’t look!” Sakura squeals and Ino scowls. 

  
  


“But—“ 

  
  


“ _ Don’t look.  _ Not unless I tell you _.”  _ Sakura seethes and Ino just rolls her eyes. “I can be inconspicuous but you have to turn your head.” 

  
  


“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Ino waves. “I get it.” 

  
  


Sakura leans back in her chair and watches behind the dark shades of her glasses. It allows her to glance over every once in a while. Shifting her eyes to trail along his sweaty and sculpted torso as he begins to hose off his deck. 

  
  


“I have something he can hose off.” 

  
  


“Ino!” 

  
  


“ _ What?  _ It’s not like you’re actually—“

  
  


The two were interrupted by a booming voice that seemed to come from the next house over. “Man, I’m jealous of you two!” they hear and both she and Ino look over from her deck to his.

  
  


Sakura looks down at the drinks she prepared and the state they’re in—both clad in bikinis and enjoying the mild temperature and high sun. Ino squeals and Sakura has to shush her before throwing him a saucy grin. 

  
  


“Come over, then!” 

  
  


She can’t quite believe the words coming out of her mouth. Can’t believe the way she’s acting but she notices the way he just  _ laughs  _ and says, “Yeah?” 

  
  


Almost like it’s a challenge. 

  
  


“Yeah.” she nods. “We’re having mimosas.” 

  
  


He says...something that sounds like it could be along the lines of  _ sounds good  _ but she can’t tell if it’s a ‘I’ll be there’  _ sounds good  _ or a ‘sounds good’  _ sounds good.  _ And next thing she knows he’s headed back inside.

  
  


“What did he say?”

  
  


“I think he said ‘sounds good’.” 

  
  


“Okay, but what does that  _ mean?”  _

  
  


“I have no clu—“ 

  
  


“God  _ dammit.”  _

  
  


Sakura leans back in her lounger and lets out an irritated sigh. Ino does the same and Sakura can practically  _ feel  _ her icy gaze on hers. But she closes her eyes, intent on just basking in the afternoon sun to achieve some semblance of a tan. Though she’s not sure why she even wants it. 

  
  


“Hey, I’m sure it’s fine—”

  
  


“I don’t know what you’re insinuating.” 

  
  


“Oh come  _ on,  _ Sakura.” Ino groans. “You’re getting flustered and upset.”

  
  


“I’m not upset.” 

  
  


“Uh—” Ino says with a laugh. “You are.” 

  
  


Sakura shakes her head and gives Ino a sort of helpless look. “It's just…” she starts and Ino shifts her weight to the side, now focused completely on Sakura, “I don’t know what I want. You know?” 

  
  


“Uh-huh.”

  
  


“I broke things off with Sasuke.” 

  
  


“Right.” 

  
  


“And—“ she pauses. “It was a  _ good  _ decision.” 

  
  


“Couldn’t agree more.” 

  
  


“And...I  _ like _ being single.”

  
  


“Okay.” 

  
  


“At the same time...I don’t want to pass something up.” 

  
  


“Sure.”

  
  


Sakura wrinkles her brow and thinks to a few days prior, when he had  _ dropped by  _ and they exchanged numbers. If she really wanted  _ more  _ then she supposed…

  
  


“I have his number. I could always…”

  
  


“ _ Yes.”  _ Ino exclaims and nods her head furiously. “Do that.” 

  
  


“Do what?” 

  
  


“Text him!” 

  
  


Sakura sighs. “What would I even say?”

  
  


Ino shrugs and thinks a moment. “I don’t know...maybe ask why he didn’t stop by?” 

  
  


“That’s not too forward?” 

  
  


Ino shakes her head. “Not if you do it right.” 

  
  


Sakura sighs and closes her eyes once more. Intent on ignoring Ino for as long as she can stand and do what she can to clear her mind. In retrospect, she really isn’t upset. Or at least that’s what she tells herself. It’s more so that she’s stuck in this limbo of wanting more and just leaving it. At the same time...she  _ wants _ to know him. Wants him to know  _ her.  _

  
  


So, no. Sakura’s not upset. She just...wants more _.  _ Whatever that entails. 

* * *

  
  
  


Later that evening she’s on her bed—Ino’s words still in her mind as her phone sits in her lap. She stares at the blank screen and works her bottom lip between her teeth. 

  
  


Her thumbs are shaking. Why is she shaking? He’s just her neighbor. A neighbor who she wants to get to know more is innocent enough. A neighbor who is a man. 

  
  


But that’s just it, isn’t it? Kakashi is a  _ man.  _ And Sakura hasn’t dabbled with men before. All she knew were boys. 

  
  


At the same time, she can’t expect to just play ‘hard to get’ with a man like she would with a boy. She stares down at her phone and drafts a new message—

  
  


_ Thought you were coming by for a mimosa?  _

  
  


Sakura squeals and throws her phone to the corner of the bed. Intent on leaving it  _ right there  _ and not grab it until she hears a vibration or chirping of any kind. She sits there, looking like a  _ fool  _ no doubt, but she waits nonetheless. Waits for what she is sure to be nothing and she’ll have nothing but humiliation to feel for the duration of her time living at that house. 

  
  


And who knows how long  _ that  _ will be. 

  
  


She waits—legs crossed and eyes fixed on the black screen. 

  
  


After a few minutes it lights up and Sakura suppresses yet another squeal as she reaches over to grab it. 

  
  


**_Kakashi: I’m sorry. I got paged into work. Forgive me?_ **

  
  


She frowns slightly at that. 

  
  


_ You didn’t need me to watch your dogs?  _

  
  


**_Kakashi: I have a neighbor who I usually contact during the day. Plus, I didn’t want to ruin the fun._ **

  
  


Her frown fades and she bites her lip to suppress a smile as her fingers hover over the keyboard. 

  
  


_ Well, I’ll forgive you. This time. And only if I get to make you that drink. _

  
  


**_Kakashi: I’ll admit, I’m not much of a mimosa drinker._ **

  
  


She wrinkles her brow and looks out the window of her bedroom, noticing how a singular light was turned on in a room upstairs. 

  
  


**_Kakashi: But I think I can make an exception...for you._ **

  
  


She turns her attention back to the screen and tilts her head.

  
  


_ Oh?  _

  
  


**_Kakashi: Yes._ **

  
  


_ Well I’m glad you feel that way about me.  _

  
  


**_Kakashi: What are neighbors for?_ **

  
  


Sakura rolls her eyes slightly and looks back out her window. Noticing movement in the shape of a shadow behind the shades. Her heart skips—wondering if her eyes deceive her but no…

  
  


Their bedroom windows are  _ directly  _ adjacent to one another. 

  
  


She bites her lip once more and types her final message—

  
  


_ Well, I won’t keep you. But I’ll be holding you to that visit.  _

  
  


**_Kakashi: Already looking forward to it. Until then, neighbor._ **

  
  


Sakura looks over to find the light in that room is turned off, and she can’t help but wonder what it is he’s doing at that moment. What he sleeps in. If he sleeps in  _ anything.  _ If he sleeps in nothing but his boxers with his chest left bare. 

  
  


She dreads to think about it, really. Because she knows if she does she’ll find no sleep that night. That her dreams will be filled with nothing but images of how his sculpted chest and arms flexed with every bit of work he did earlier that day. She’s a fool for thinking like this, she knows. And there’s really no point because in the back of her mind she’s telling herself nothing will happen. That this all will stay in her mind—as it should. 

  
  


But still...she can't help craving for more.   
  



	3. when life gives you lemons...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura invites Kakashi over for some lemonade...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is too much fun to write!

  
The sun hangs high in the sky that day. And Sakura has the genius idea that she’ll spend that Sunday tending to her ‘garden’. It’s not much, really. Mostly plants leftover from the previous homeowner. And from what she can tell, they hadn’t yet mastered the art of _landscaping._

  
  


So here she is—on her hands and knees with a few potted azaleas that she bought earlier that day sitting next to her. She’s been digging for what feels like a half hour—the heat making it feel _much_ longer than that.

  
  


She glances to her left, sensing movement that sounds like running and her eyes widen as they land on Kakashi. He’s dressed in a white shirt and running shorts and his eyes find hers kneeling in the grass. He waves his hand and she does the same, watching carefully as he turns into her driveway. He slows and she can hear his heavy breathing as he puts his hands on his hips.

  
  


“Nice run?” she asks with a teasing tone and he lets out a breathy laugh. 

  
  


“As good as a run can be when it’s 85 degrees out.” 

  
  


She chuckles and nods her head. “Fair enough.”

  
  


Kakashi then scrunches his brows and points to the azaleas and various equipment surrounding her.

  
  


“Yeah, I’m just…” she pauses and lets out a helpless breath, “trying my hand at gardening.” 

  
  


He nods his head and eventually puts his hands in his pockets, studying the azalea she was busying transferring from the pot. “Well, those are good. Low-maintenance.”

  
  


She sighs and sits up while brushing the back of her hand along her forehead. “Yeah?” 

  
  


“Yeah.” 

  
  


He bends down on one knee to look at it some more. “I would just trim them back a bit. It’s almost July so they’ll be losing their petals.” he said and she nodded her head. “Promote new growth for next year.” 

  
  


“Wow.” she says with a smile. “Who knew you had a green thumb.” 

  
  


Kakashi laughs and scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah. It’s a bit of a hobby I suppose.” 

  
  


“Gardening?” she teases. 

  
  


“Landscaping _.”_ he corrects after a brief pause and she makes an _ah_ sound. 

  
  


“My mistake.” 

  
  


He glances at the other plants that line the front of her house, noticing one bush that she _knows_ is a bit unhinged. She desperately hopes that he doesn’t notice. But nevertheless—he strides over and runs his hand along the protruding branches. 

  
  


“Yeah I’ve been meaning to, uh, trim that one back.” 

  
  


“Want me to?” 

  
  


Sakura blinks. Mouth hung open slightly as she considers. He gives her a look like he might have overstepped and chuckles. “I don’t have to. Was just offering.” 

  
  


“Oh, no!” she squeals, correcting herself and he shoots her a confused look. “I mean—” she says as she hands him a pair of shears, “Yes. Knock yourself out. Please.” 

  
  


He bends to grab the shears and begins cutting the longer stems from the weigela—watching as his biceps flex with every snap of the shears. She catches herself staring and immediately turns her attention back to what she was doing. A shaky breath escapes her lips before she continues to dig—trying her best to remain focused and alert.

  
  


It’s _hot_ that day. Not quite sweltering, but enough for Sakura to feel sweat build up her back and her neck. Luckily her face is shaded by the sunhat she’s wearing, though she can’t say the same for Kakashi. She looks over for a split second to find his white shirt is already a tad wet from his run, and she wishes more than anything that he would just take the damn thing off. She knows for a fact he would if she weren’t there right next to him.

  
  


And she can’t help but feel bad—watching him tend to her shrubbery in this heat and it suddenly dawns on her that she has a fresh batch of lemonade in the fridge which was prepared the day before. 

  
  


“Hey.” she says and lets out a small grunt as she lifts herself from the ground. 

  
  


He stops and rubs the back of his hand across his forehead. “Yeah?” 

  
  


“Do you have time for a break? I made some lemonade yesterday.” 

  
  


“Uh—” he pauses and looks over to his house. She’s about to say forget it because she remembers he probably hasn’t been home in a minute but he turns back around with a smile. “Let me grab a different shirt and I’ll come right back.” 

  
  


She manages to refrain from saying, _oh you won’t need one,_ and instead nods her head. Tossing the trowel she had been working with to the ground.

  
  


Kakashi sets her shears on one of her lawn chairs and turns in the direction of his house just as she turns to her front door. She pauses at the realization that he has never been inside her house and for a split second she does her best to remember the state it was left in. She thinks that she has approximately ten minutes before he’d be back. 

  
  


So she opens the door, holding her breath for a moment as she looks around to find that it is—relatively—spotless. She lets out a relieved breath and makes her way to the kitchen to fetch a couple glasses and the pitcher of lemonade she has stowed in the fridge.

  
  


Putting on some music, she walks onto the deck to place the glasses on her patio table. She gives the space a quick once over, realizing she’s putting way too much effort into something that’s really not a big deal. 

  
  


Wondering if the table is clean enough. If her house smells. If the music isn’t his taste even though her playlist literally reads, ‘songs no one will complain about’. 

  
  


Her head snaps to the sound of a knock from the front door and she sprints inside. It doesn’t take her long to reach the front door and she opens it in an instant—noticing how he’s changed into a simple grey shirt and a different pair of shorts. 

  
  


“Come on in.” she urges and he smiles as he kicks off his shoes. She watches with wide eyes as he takes a few cursory glances around the small foyer before leading him down the short hall that opens into her kitchen and living room area. 

  
  


“You have a nice home.” he says and she turns to give him a gracious smile. She doesn’t get the chance to thank him before he says, “It’s very _you.”_

  
  


It catches her off guard—the compliment. And she can’t help but ask, “How so?” 

  
  


He looks up to the ceiling in thought, a sort of _sly_ smile on his face. “It’s just very...light. Warm. Sweet.” 

  
  


She blushes and tries to contain the smile that’s tugging at her lips. “You think I’m sweet?” 

  
  


All he does is nod his head and she decides not to press any further. She leads them out onto her patio and over to the glasses she already had out for them. He takes a seat and lets out a contented sigh, to which she responds with an amused chuckle. 

  
  


“Tiring day?” 

  
  


“You could say that.” he says as he takes a sip of the lemonade. She hears a pleased hum from him before he places it back down on the table. “That’s good.” 

  
  


“Yeah?” she asks with a proud smile. 

  
  


“Yes.” he laughs and she takes a seat next to him. He continues to watch her and she can feel herself sweat trying to think of some companionable conversation. Thankfully, he clears his throat and beats her to it. 

  
  


“So, you mentioned before that you’re a nurse?” 

  
  


She nods her head as she takes a sip of her drink. “Mm, yes.” she says and licks her lips. “For about...three years now.” 

  
  


“Anything specific?” 

  
  


Sitting back in her seat, she looks forward and folds her hands into her lap. “Well, I started with neonatal, but—” she sighs, “it was a bit too intense. I was new and got too attached.” 

  
  


Kakashi nods his head and continues to watch her carefully, tapping the edge of his glass with his finger absentmindedly. “I get that.” 

  
  


“So, I actually switched to geriatric care.” she says with a small laugh. “Not because it’s the complete opposite of working with preemies but...I don’t know. Older generations tend to be more lighthearted—which makes my job easier.” 

  
  


She looks back at Kakashi and smiles—about to ask him what he does but he interrupts her once more by asking, “And how are you liking the neighborhood?” 

  
  


Her mouth hangs a bit, confused by the sudden change in subject but she recovers quickly. “I—uh, I like it fine.” she says and he smiles. “It’s funny. I met everyone else before you and yet I’ve talked to you more than the others.” 

  
  


He lets out a small chuckle in agreement. “I’ll admit, I don’t know the others much either. Aside from when I have them dogsit. Even so,” he says and takes another sip of his drink, “It’s not like I’m there.” 

  
  


“Hm. Well, in that case—” she says as she takes another sip. “At least we have each other.” 

  
  


She doesn’t quite catch herself as the words leave her lips. And she’s left slightly mortified as she slowly looks over to him—shooting him a sort of sheepish smile. “You know what I mean.” she quickly says but he only smiles in response. As if he agrees. 

  
  


“Yeah, I know.” he says and, like with most things, she’s not sure what it is he means by that. She wants to think that he means it in the way she _really_ meant it. That they’re sitting across from one another with not much else on their minds save for...well. Something she hasn’t yet convinced herself of yet. That she’s still living out some fantasy that could quite possibly be all in her head. 

  
  


A sigh escapes his lips and it pulls her out of her reverie. She watches as he begins to lift himself from the chair. “I should probably get going. The dogs weren’t too happy that I left a second time.” 

  
  


Sakura laughs and nods her head in understanding. He grabs his glass and quickly finishes the rest of the contents and she makes _sure_ she doesn’t miss the way his throat bobs with each gulp.

  
  


He brings his glass and the pitcher inside and she follows closely, watching as he walks over to her sink to rinse his glass out. “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” she says but he only smiles and continues to dry off the glass. 

  
  


“You didn’t have to have me over.” he responds and she laughs and shakes her head. 

  
  


“Nonsense. It was a pleasure. Though,” she pauses and he tilts his head at the look she’s giving him, “I’m not sure it counts as a mimosa.” 

  
  


Kakashi throws his head back and laughs. She looks at him with an amused grin and he nods his head in agreement as she walks him to the door. “Another time, then.”

  
  


He turns to face her as she leans her shoulder against the doorframe. “Thanks for the lemonade, though.” 

  
  


“Anytime.” she says with a smile and watches as he turns to walk down the short path that leads to her driveway. He turns and gives her one last wave of his hand before turning onto the street and making the short trek back to his house. 

  
  


She closes the door behind her and leans against it—letting out a breath she felt like she had been holding the moment he stepped foot inside her house. 

  
  


She’s ridiculous, she knows. But with every encounter they have, she feels that ridiculousness dwindle...

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Exhaustion hits her the moment she steps inside. She rubs her eyes and lets out a stifled yawn, kicking off her shoes right at the entrance of her house along with her purse.

  
  


Twelve hours. She had just spent _twelve_ hours at the hospital for what was supposed to be a regular eight hour shift. She had stayed voluntarily, of course. Realizing they were understaffed for that particular evening and finding that she wanted to lend a hand. 

  
  


Nevertheless...

  
  


She’s not even sure she wants to make dinner at this point. Or even order out. All she wants to do is collapse into her bed and fall asleep as fast as possible. Though she thinks given the day she’s had, it won’t take much effort. 

  
  


Stumbling past the laundry room, she strips from her scrubs and tosses them into the wash. A crop top and some used shorts lay atop the dryer and she haphazardly puts them on—not bothering to check if they were clean or not. 

  
  


A tired sigh escapes her lips as her legs carry her to the kitchen. She has no idea how she got there since she has no _real_ desire to eat. Yet she opens the fridge anyway, examining its fairly empty contents whilst making a mental note that she really should make a trip to the store—and soon. 

  
  


She closes the door to the fridge and turns off the kitchen light before ascending the stairs. Intent on collapsing into bed.

  
  


When she enters her room and flips on the light, she hardly notices the figure standing by the opposite window as she breezes past. She pauses and turns her head to look out hers—finding that Kakashi is, in fact, standing right by his window and she looks straight ahead in an instant. 

  
  


She tried to pass it on as having never spotted him—though she’s not sure why she even reacted like that. She pauses as she reaches her nightstand, fiddling with a random book that’s sitting there. She thinks for a moment as she continues to flip through the pages—absentmindedly. Wondering if she should walk back and wave ‘hi’ or close the blinds and act like she never saw him. 

  
  


She doesn’t know why she’s making such a big deal out of it in the first place. It wasn’t as if she caught him _naked._ Though the thought makes her snicker to herself. And it’s obvious now that he’s aware of the view he has of her bedroom...

  
  


Walking back to her window, she glances over to find he’s still standing there—though he’s not looking out like he had been. Instead, he looks to be folding some laundry and she tilts her head at how he folds a shirt and places it on his bed. He reaches over to grab another shirt, though not before looking up once more and her breath hitches in her throat when their eyes lock. 

  
  


He shoots her a soft smile and she does the same. She’s not sure why, but she holds their stare and she notices how Kakashi tilts his head—almost in confusion. And she continues to do just that— _stare._ Stare until her eyes begin to gloss over some and it’s then that he pauses and straightens a bit. He cocks his head and she notices how his eyes begin to look her up and down. Studying the outfit she’s wearing which consists of nothing more than a crop top and running shorts. 

  
  


Taking a breath, she retreats from the window while wringing her hands in front of her. She acts as if her blinds are closed and walks to her dresser to pull out a more...racey pair of nightwear. She walks back to the window, pretending not to notice his prying eyes and holds up the nightgown—as if she’s studying it. It’s black with lace etched along the hem, though she’s uncertain he notices that minute detail. It’s the simple fact that it’s just a _scrap_ of fabric to put on one’s body. 

  
  


Still—she can feel eyes on her. _His_ eyes. All while she has her blinds up—and shamelessly so. She knows what she’s doing. Knows that he probably does as well. And she knows that he’s continuing to just _watch_ her through his bedroom window. 

  
  


She has her back to him, but she can _feel_ the heat of his gaze. Of his stare _._ All while she hooks her fingers underneath her shirt. How she lifts it above her head and shimmies down her shorts until she’s in nothing but her bra and panties. And she knows—she _knows_ she has no business doing this but she does it anyway. She does it all without looking behind her even once. Because she knows what it is she’ll see if she does.

  
  


So she presses on. Bringing her hands to her back to snake along her skin and grab the clasp of her cream-colored bra. With a shaky breath she unhooks it—allowing it to fall on the exhale. She feels her hips shimmy to a beat she doesn’t hear but makes up in her head. Her bra falls to the ground and her back is still turned. But it doesn’t stop her from swiveling her hips slightly and running her hands through her hair. 

  
  


She doesn’t know what she’s doing. _Why_ she’s doing this. Why he’s _watching_ her do this. It’s completely ludicrous. Completely _moronic_ but she doesn’t feel herself stopping any time soon as she continues to imagine the way he’s looking at her. With his nostrils flared and hands braced against his windowsill. Her eyes are closed and she moans softly into the air—to what, she doesn’t know. Maybe it’s the thought of him getting off to her. Maybe it’s the heat she feels building in the room. 

  
  


She wants to show more to him. More of _herself._ Because with every swivel of her hips and bead of sweat that forms on her forehead, she feels inhibition begin to slowly leave the window. She starts—slowly so. Starts to reveal a small portion of the side of her breast and lets her eyes flutter to the ground. Her heart is beating so fast in her chest and she takes a steeled breath. 

  
  


She turns—

  
  


...And finds his window is empty. 

  
  


Her heart drops. 

  
  


Sakura lets out a disbelieving sigh as she stares wide eyed out her bedroom window. Embarrassment fills her as she covers her breasts and flies to the window. She wrenches down the shades with more force than she should have, but she’s frustrated nonetheless. She could have _sworn_ she saw him pause at his window just as she turned. 

  
  


She closes her eyes and lets out a frustrated breath at the thought that maybe she should be thinking more of him. Should see him as a _man_ and not a boy who would have _surely_ taken advantage of the little show she had just but on. It doesn't matter that she’s disappointed. Even though she is...immensely—

  
  


Disappointed. 

  
  


She huffs a sigh and releases the hold on her breasts. Plucking her tank top from the ground, she pulls it over her head and settles herself into bed. If she can find solace in anything, she supposes it can be in not raising the wrong impression. Though she’s sure she has the complete _right_ impression. 

  
  


Even so, it hardly matters anymore. 

  
  


She pulls the covers over herself and turns off the lamp on her bedside table. Just then she sees her phone illuminate and vibrate with a new message. She wrinkles her brow and grabs it from the table to unlock it. 

  
  


Her heart stops as she reads the message.

  
  


**_Kakashi: Thanks for the show._ **

  
  


She doesn’t respond. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *SQUEALS AND SQUAWKS*


	4. helena beat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino ‘persuades’ Sakura to throw a party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk why that’s the name of this chapter 😅 I was listening to Helena Beat by Foster the People while writing this and it brought me back to my undergrad days. 
> 
> Anyway, I think y’all will like this chapter 😏

“You should throw a housewarming party.” 

  
  


Sakura barely hears Ino as she stares blankly at the groups of people walking past them. She takes a sip of her iced latte as she continues to observe through the shades of her sunglasses. Not quite listening to the conversation being held next to her. 

  
  


_“Sakura.”_

  
  


Her thoughts are still consumed by the events of the other night. She hasn’t yet told anyone—mostly because she’s still recovering from the embarrassment. And she’s still unsure about just how much Kakashi _did_ see of the little show she had put on. 

  
  


_“Sakura.”_

  
  


She fights the urge to not think about it to the point of obsession. Because every time she does she just wants to crawl as far underground as she can and never come back. What she did was so stupid _._ And to make matters worse his text was the last opportunity she had to say anything. Leading her to wonder if she should even bother with talking to him again. Because she all but _stripped_ for a neighbor she only knew for—

  
  


“Hey, Forehead!” she hears and her eyes narrow onto a pair of fingers snapping in front of her. “Zone back in, yeah?” 

  
  


Sakura looks over to Ino and Tenten and sighs. “I’m sorry, guys. Just preoccupied about something.” 

  
  


She can tell that Tenten is about to ask what’s wrong but Ino interrupts her, “Well why don’t you preoccupy yourself with the party you’re going to throw.” 

  
  


Sakura blinks. “What party?” 

  
  


“Were you not listening to the past five minutes of this conversation?” 

  
  


“...No.”

  
  


Ino groans and shakes her head. “Well, you’re throwing a housewarming party. This Friday.” 

  
  


“Ino, _no.”_ Sakura groans as she represses the urge to sink down in her chair. 

  
  


“Why not?” she asks and Sakura has to push out the fact that she’d have to invite her neighbor who she stripped for in her bedroom window. 

  
  


“I just...I’m not in the mood to party.” 

  
  


“It’s like, three days away!” Ino counters. “I’m sure you’ll be in the mood then.” 

  
  


Sakura doesn’t answer. Instead—she shakes her head and puts her head in her hands. “Plus—” she heard Ino say. “It’ll give you an excuse to invite your hot neighbor.” 

  
  


Sakura is about to vehemently say _no_ before Tenten asks, “What hot neighbor?” 

  
  


Ino squeals just as Sakura lets out a groan and watches as Ino claps her hands together. “Ten—I’m straight up _confused_ by how Sakura managed to move in next to one of the hottest men I’ve ever seen in my life.” 

  
  


“Are you serious? _The_ hottest?” 

  
  


“I’m serious.” 

  
  


Their conversation makes Sakura want to vomit as she pokes at her avocado toast in disinterest. The only thing she has to look forward to is a full day of work where she can just occupy herself and do her best to resist and forget. 

  
  


She sighs and takes out a few bills to toss onto the table. “I gotta run to work.” 

  
  


Ino sighs and checks her watch. “Yeah I should split soon, too.” 

  
  


“Thanks for breakfast, girls.” Sakura calls to both Ino and Tenten as she shimmies herself from behind the table. She ignores Ino’s calls to wait up as she exits the cafe—intent on doing everything she can to avoid Ino and her pleas for a party. 

  
  


She manages to slip into her car and peel away with enough time to spare, looking in the rearview mirror to find Ino with her hands up and yelling some expletive at her. 

  
  


She can’t help but laugh as she turns her attention back to the road. Rolling the window down to feel the air run through her hair and breeze past her skin. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


_Thanks for the show._

  
  


She’s looked at that text a total of 8,000 times, she thinks. It’s only been a few days—even though it feels like an eternity. 

  
  


She’s outside of the hospital having lunch, obsessively looking over the text chain like she had been. It ends with that very text. Because she never bothered to respond. She got virtually no sleep that night, wondering if she should or shouldn’t and all the different scenarios that would happen if she did. 

  
  


She knows she’s being ridiculous. Being utterly childish for not being mature enough to respond to a text message. But at the same time, she knows that responding to him would have opened up a whole slew of open ended... _ness._ Which she wasn’t sure she was even prepared for. 

  
  


And she just can’t face that. Not right now. Which only makes her kick herself harder at the fact that she actually had the balls to do something like that. Practically strip down to nothing in her window. 

  
  


She can’t help but shake the fact that she ruined what could have at least been a good friendship. They had pleasant conversations and she had to go and ruin it all in the blink of an eye. 

  
  


Sakura sighs and looks down at the screen she had been staring at for the past half hour. Her fingers continued to remain hovered over the screen as her heart pounded incessantly in her chest. She would type _cutesy_ things that honestly came out so juvenile that she would delete them all together. 

  
  


Of course there was the fact that she was responding _days_ later. Having reached that period where a response would be awkward, she thinks. Then again—he may not care in the slightest. 

  
  


She works her lips and finally—finally types out a response she feels she can be content with before pocketing her phone and returning to work. 

  
  


_You’re welcome._

* * *

  
  


A contented sigh escapes her lips as she puts her feet up on the ottoman. She’s dressed in sleep shorts and a tank top with a bowl of popcorn on her lap, ready to watch whatever debauchery she can get her hands on. 

  
  


Sakura loves Fridays. Mainly because she knew she had a free weekend to look forward to and Friday nights were her nights _alone._ Saturdays. They were saved for plans—if she had any. If not, well, it only made her weekend that much better. 

  
  


She pops a piece of popcorn in her mouth, delighting in the salty pop and crunch in her mouth as she relaxes into her couch and enjoys her reality TV. As stupid and moronic she knows it is. 

  
  


At least it’s a night of peace. 

  
  


Until, that is, she hears a knock on her door and she lets out an annoyed groan. Louder than it really should have been but she gets up from the couch in an overly dramatic way. 

  
  


She trudges over to the door and opens it—eyes widening at the sight of Ino with her arms filled to the brim with brown paper bags. And a few more people pulling up in cars. 

  
  


“What the _fuc—“_

  
  


Ino pushes past Sakura and into her house, followed by Tenten, Hinata, Temari and a whole slew of others who she _sort of_ remembers from college but most certainly are Ino’s friends. 

  
  


Anger bubbles up inside her as she turns back around to push past the small crowd and approach Ino. She finds her at the kitchen counter unloading bottles upon bottles of liquor and she shoots her an incredulous look. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” 

  
  


“What do you mean?” she asks in that _innocent_ way that honestly makes Sakura want to rip her neck out. 

  
  


“Why do you act like this is your house? I didn’t say ‘yes’ to a party! Fuck, I should have _never_ given you a key—”

  
  


“Sakura.” Ino interrupts as she grabs her hand to hoist her behind the counter. “You need to _relax—”_

  
  


“Don’t tell me to relax! I was perfectly happy spending the evening alone! We could have made plans tomorrow!” she continues to babble as Ino just unloads further. “This was _my night,_ Ino.” she says with a pained tone. 

  
  


“To what?” Ino says with a shrug as she takes a pitcher out from underneath her sink. “Sit on your ass and watch,” she looks up at the TV and sneers, “this shit?” 

  
  


Sakura gapes. “We were watching The Bachelor literally a few weeks ago!” 

  
  


Ino shakes her head and stops, laying her palms on the counter. “Everyone misses you.” 

  
  


She pauses and looks over to the people who have congregated outside. She shrugs her shoulders. “I miss everyone too, but—“

  
  


“Good!” Ino interrupts and Sakura has to resist the urge to roll her eyes and groan. “Now go upstairs and change into something more…” she pauses to look at the state of her dress. Sakura looks down at herself and plays with the hem of her shirt. 

  
  


“Appropriate.” Ino finishes and it’s _then_ that Sakura rolls her eyes and finally turns from her. 

  
  


“That’s my girl, love ya!” she hears Ino call as she reluctantly climbs the stairs to put on something that surely isn’t as comfortable as what she’s wearing now.

* * *

  
  
  


Sakura flies down the stairs, anxiety bubbling in her stomach once more at the sound of the bass which is _much_ too low—with what sounds like Foster the People reverberating through the walls. It brings her back to her college days and she rolls her eyes as she ascends the stairs in search of Ino. 

  
  


She finds her in the living room with Shikamaru and she coughs lightly as she approaches the two. “Hey, Sakura.” he says and offers a slight smile. Sakura returns it and nods her head, immediately turning her attention to Ino. 

  
  


“The music’s not too loud, is it?” 

  
  


Ino rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “No, it’s not. It’s perfectly fine.” 

  
  


“Okay…” 

  
  


“You need to _calm_ down, Forehead.” 

  
  


Sakura closes her eyes and lets out a frustrated breath. _“Please_ stop telling me to calm down.” 

  
  


“Well...you do.” she reiterates and looks her up and down while taking a sip of her drink. “You look good.” 

  
  


Sakura blinks and looks down at herself. “Yeah?”

  
  


She had thrown on some black jeans and a black tube-top; something simple but ‘party’ worthy, she supposed at the time. She has to admit, she _does_ look pretty good after having fixed her hair and face. 

  
  


Ino shoots her a suspicious look. “Excuse me.” she says and walks the other direction, which Sakura decides to ignore and takes her advice to try and enjoy herself instead. 

  
  


If her friends had the gall to throw a party on her behalf...she supposed she should make the best of it. 

  
  


Sakura walks over to her soundbar to turn down the music just a tad, looking around to make sure Ino isn’t anywhere near to witness. She notices the small pockets of people littered around the house—all seeming relatively well behaved and it’s then that she remembers she’s not in college anymore. 

  
  


She lets out a sigh, finding she really _should_ relax. Everyone seems content with their drinks and company and she finds herself in the hall leading to the front door. The stillness tempts her to walk out and find some peace and quiet outside—away from the noise. But she ultimately decides against it—about to turn and walk back towards the backyard where everyone had fled to.

  
  


She then hears the front door open and a pair of feet shuffle in. “Hey!” she hears Ino call and looks over thinking _what now?_

  
  


Her eyes go wide when they land on Kakashi and Ino standing next to him with a sly smile. There’s also another man with him—who has brunette hair and Ino is already hanging off of him. Kakashi’s looking at her with a sort of knowing smirk that honestly makes her insides churn. It makes her think that, yes, he saw _everything_ that she had to offer to him and she suddenly feels bile rise in her throat. 

  
  


Ino wiggles her brows and mouths _he came with a friend_ before breezing past her with said ‘friend’ to leave both she and Kakashi alone. He looks on at her with his head tilt slightly. As if he’s studying her. She studies him too—studies the way he looks with his hands in the pockets of his khakis and the long sleeve he’s wearing. He looks like he put effort into looking good—which only heightens her anxiety. 

  
  


“Hey.” he says and the deepness of his voice sends a shiver down her spine. 

  
  


“Hi.” 

  
  


“You look,” he pauses to look her up and down, “nice.” 

  
  


“Sodoyou.” she says so fast that he tilts his head, obviously having not understood her. Taking a breath, she shakes her head and closes her eyes. “So do you.” she repeats—a bit slower. “Look...nice.” 

  
  


She turns and lets out a strained breath as she cocks her head in the direction of her kitchen. She leads him down that same hall from a few days ago and looks about the space, finding they’re completely alone.

  
  


A question is playing on her mind as they enter her kitchen and her gaze lands on Ino who’s now sitting on that man’s _lap_. “I’m sorry,” she says and whirls around to face Kakashi. She jumps slightly, finding him to be closer than she originally thought and she backs up slightly. “Did my friend,” she pauses and lets out a helpless laugh, “go to your house?”

  
  


He laughs and scratches the back of his neck. “Honestly? I think she stole my number from your phone.” 

  
  


Sakura shoots him a mortified look. “Are you kidding me?” she asks and shoots Ino another angered look. “I’m _so_ sorry. I literally don’t think she’s ever heard the word ‘boundaries’ in her life.” 

  
  


Kakashi shakes his head and puts his hands in his pockets. “I mean, I’m _glad_ she texted me.” 

  
  


Sakura blinks. “Oh.” she says simply, mouth hung open and without a clue as to how to respond as her gaze just lands on the assortment of drinks laid out on the counter. 

  
  


“Uh—do you want a drink?” 

  
  


He shoots her an amused smile. “Sure.” 

  
  


“Okay…” she trails off and clicks her tongue. “We have gin...tequila...bourbon—“

  
  


“Gin’s fine.”

  
  


Sakura makes a surprised face. “Hm, okay. I would’ve taken you as a bourbon guy.” 

  
  


He laughs and leans against the counter. “Well, I prefer rye whiskey. But gin sounds good tonight.” 

  
  


“On the rocks?” she asks and he nods his head. 

  
  


She prepares him a glass and hands it to him, which he takes with a smile. “I’m sure it’s shit.” she laughs. “She was the one to go out and get the liquor so it’s probably cheap.” 

  
  


“I’m not here for the liquor.” 

  
  


Sakura’s mouth opens and she...well she _tries_ to say something but his comment has rendered her speechless once more. She turns, unsure why she does but she looks to her cabinets for help. “Are you hungry?” she suddenly asks. “I think I have crackers.” 

  
  


“Sakura.” 

  
  


Next thing she knows he’s next to her and closing the cabinet she had opened, standing _so close_ that the light scent of his body wash nearly drives her mad. She slowly turns her head in his direction. 

  
  


“You’re—” she pauses and does her best to not look _directly_ at him. “You’re not hungry?”

  
  


She can feel him smirk and let out a small chuckle. “Not for crackers.” he teases.

  
  


She lets out a shuddered breath and begins to turn away from him. She suddenly feels him grab her hip to turn and pin her back against the counter. Forced to look at him, she flutters her eyes upward to find his face mere _centimeters_ from hers. She can feel his breath—practically _taste_ it and it doesn’t save the soft shudder that leaves her lips. 

  
  


She’s delirious now. Unable to move or do anything now that he has her pinned and trapped. “You said ‘you’re welcome’.”

  
  


It’s a valid statement. Something she knew he’d bring up at some point. But she’s pushed this encounter so frequently out of her mind that she was now at a loss for words. Her mouth hangs open as she absolutely flounders—but it only seems to spur him on more as he grasps her chin in his hand. Forcing her to look up at him and he looks down at her with a delicious heat in his eyes. 

  
  


“I was waiting—you know.” he says as he continues to breathe heavily. “Waiting...in my bed.” 

  
  


Her eyes snap up to his. “In—In your bed?” 

  
  


Kakashi nods his head and she can feel as he teases her lips with his. She’s open mouthed and ready—waiting as they seem to be mimicking one another’s movements with their lips but he doesn’t kiss her. And it’s positively _killing_ her. 

  
  


“I wanted to talk to you.” he says as he presses himself closer—if that’s even possible. “ _See_ you. See more of you.” 

  
  


She lets out a pained breath. Because everything he’s saying is everything she wanted to hear. She wanted to show him everything. Wanted to tease him as much as she could and it seems he wanted all the same things. 

  
  


“And what I could have seen... _fuck.”_ he murmurs and she feels as his hand leaves her hip to travel up her side. “I kept imagining what your nipples would have looked like.” 

  
  


Her breath hitches in her throat at the feel of his hand cupping the underside of her breast. “I bet they’re so _pretty.”_ he teases as his thumb continues to trace along the bottom swell of her mounds. 

  
  


“I—I could...show you.” she manages to get out and she feels him freeze. “Try to.” 

  
  


His nostrils flare and he’s positively _shaking_ with what she hopes is pent up desire. His thumb travels upward to where her nipple _would_ be and he presses down on the hardened bud. She lets out a breathy sigh to which he mimics with his lips which are still _millimeters_ from hers. 

  
  


_“Please.”_ he whispers against her and she can’t help the small roll of her hips against his. He growls and uses his other hand to still her. Ceasing her movements as she grabs his hand instead. She’s all but ready to haul his ass to her bedroom but they’re interrupted by a beeping coming from his pocket. 

  
  


“Fucking _shit.”_ she hears him ground out as he fishes in his pocket for the device that’s the cause of the beeping. He pulls it out and squints his eyes at the tiny screen. A defeated sigh escapes his lips as he looks at her with the most apologetic look. 

  
  


All she can do is sigh helplessly and shake her head as she paws at his chest. “Don’t go—”

  
  


“I have to.” 

  
  


A small whine escapes her lips and she tries her best not to pout as he slowly pulls away. She’s pulled with him and he laughs slightly as he brushes her hair out of her face. 

  
  


The next thing she knows his lips are on hers. It takes her by surprise—having not expected it and she hates that she reacts with a jolt instead of just melting into it. She recovers, however, fairly quickly and wastes no time in wrapping her hands around his neck. Allowing him to pull her closer and deepen their kiss which she knows can’t last the entire night like she wants it to. 

  
  


She tries her best to savor it. To relish in the feel of his lips against hers—no matter how surreal it seems in the moment. She doesn’t even get to _really_ taste him before he pulls away, shooting her another apologetic smile. 

  
  


She pouts and he lets out a small laugh. “I have to go…” he murmurs and shoots his gaze outside. “And grab Genma too.”

”Who?”

”My friend.” he says. “We work together.”

  
  


Sakura makes an _ah_ sound and allows him to pull away from her. “I guess...uh—“ 

  
  


“Tell you what,” he interrupts and she blinks her eyes at him, “I...I don’t think I’ll be gone too long, but…” he takes her hands in his and looks at her with that same heat from earlier. “If I’m not _completely_ reading this the wrong way—be at my house later tonight.” 

  
  


Sakura stares at him—eyes blown wide as she tries to find the words. She’s been given a _second_ chance to not screw this up and before she ultimately does, she opts for nodding her head more times than she can count. 

  
  


“Alright.” he murmurs as he walks to her sliding glass door. He opens it and shouts for his friend, who gives Ino a quick kiss on the cheek and pushes her off him. She makes a face as he enters the house to speed down the hall.   
  


Kakashi looks back at her. “I’ll text you my garage code.” he says and she nods her head once more.

  
  


He turns without another word and she watches as he trails down the darkened hall, running a hand through his hair. He exits through the front door and it’s then that she finally breathes. 

  
  


Her heart is hammering in her chest to the point of a panic attack—but she does her best to suppress it and focus on the fact that _by God_ she just kissed Kakashi. Better yet, he kissed _her._ She’s hardly able to contain her scream as she smiles and holds her heated cheeks with her hands. 

  
  


The sound of the sliding glass door opening pulls her out of her dream-like state and her gaze shoots over to Ino. A red solo cup hangs from her mouth and she looks around in confusion. 

  
  


“What the fuck?” 

  
  


“Huh?” 

  
  


“Where did they run off to?” she asks and places her cup on the counter. 

  
  


Sakura makes an innocent face and shrugs her shoulders as she pours herself a pitcher of whatever concoction Ino had made earlier. She winks at Ino and takes a sip of her drink as she passes her, though not before relishing in the look of _pure confusion_ from her friend. 

  
  


“Forehead—“ she hears from behind her and she lets out a laugh before joining the others. “You better tell me what just went down between you two!”   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> Leave a comment if you’d be so kind! I love reading them all and they’ve really helped persuade me to get these chapters out! So keep ‘em coming 🙌


	5. crawl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura submits...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I...don't really know what came over me. Oh well!
> 
> I know I initially said this was going to be a tease—but then I remembered this story has 'with benefits' in the title and we gotta get to the 'with benefits' part at some point!

“ _So_ awesome seeing you all!” Sakura calls with fake enthusiasm as she ushers her (Ino’s) guests out the door using large hand motions. “Hugs!” she says, “Kisses!” and waves as Tenten skips out the door. 

  
  


Ino is the last to leave and turns to speak before Sakura shuts it on her. “Still hate you.” she says with a smile and promptly closes it. She’s only sorry that she didn’t get to see the look on Ino’s face but claps in glee nonetheless as she turns towards a, now, _empty_ house. 

  
  


She skims the area and focuses on the amount of cups that litter the space and she immediately dives into work. She begins to clean like a madwoman—keen on finishing as soon as possible so she can walk on over to Kakashi’s to—

  
  


Oh _Gods_ , she can’t help but think of herself as utterly _insane_ for basically saying ‘yes’ to a booty call. She just said yes to having sex with her neighbor and it’s only then that their whole conversation hits her. 

  
  


She runs a nervous hand through her hair and begins picking up the multitudes of cups that line almost every surface on her first floor. She throws them into the trash bag she has opened and blows a piece of hair out of her face. 

  
  


As much as she hates to admit it, she supposes she should thank Ino for...well—for lack of a better term landing her what will probably be the best lay of her life. She can only hope now that she lives up to the expectations of what she assumes to be a much older and more experienced man.

  
  


And then it dawns on her that she’s only ever had sex with two people in her 26 years of existence. That person being Sasuke and the other being some random one night stand that she honestly couldn’t remember. And the disappointing fact that she and Sasuke only ever had the most vanilla-sex. 

  
  


Which is saying something coming from her. 

  
  


She pauses as she trashes yet another cup. Now thinking of herself as an utter _fool_ for even starting anything with Kakashi. She had no business doing any this. No business _actively_ flirting with him when she can’t even dish it out herself. She can’t be someone’s _booty call..._ can she?

  
  


And yet…

  
  


There’s a part of her that wants it. That sick sort of _curious_ part of her that’s always wanted to veer away from just doing whatever she’s comfortable with. That part of her that _wants_ a no strings attached relationship. And with Kakashi...she feels she can have just that.

  
  


So with that final thought she gets back to cleaning because she _knows—_ she knows that as soon as she gets this place cleaned up...she’ll be there. 

  
  


Oh yes—she’ll be there. 

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


The dogs. 

  
  


She completely forgot that he has _dogs._ Not that she cares in the slightest. Because the moment she walks through his door she’s surrounded by what she can only describe as a dog _army._

  
  


She immediately let out the most child-like squeal upon seeing them. Allowing all _eight_ of them to swarm her and greet her with their licks and cheerful yelps. 

  
  


It’s after what seems like forever that she’s finally able to get up from the ground and watch them disperse—settling themselves down and getting back to whatever mischief they were involved in before her arrival. 

  
  


She walks into the kitchen, which looks like it’s been recently renovated. The cabinets are black and the counters are a shiny granite with a subway backsplash. Upon further inspection, his home does seem to have a rather monochrome vibe. Which is a bit of a surprise given the decorative and floral exterior of the house. 

  
  


She hums in approval at how clean it is and wrinkles her nose at a piece of paper lying on the kitchen island. Walking up to it, she finds her name scribbled at the top in a sort of chicken scratch. She’s fairly positive it says that the dogs have been fed and don’t need further attention, other than a few pats on the head or tosses of a ball. 

  
  


So she can scratch that off. 

  
  


She suddenly feels her heart quicken as she decidedly sits in his living room. Unsure of what to do as she just plops herself down on his grey sectional. She works her lips between her teeth and crosses her legs, feeling ridiculous as she does so. 

  
  


It’s been six hour since he left the party. Almost two since it ended and she had managed to shower and put on a change of clothes which consisted of a flouncy blush colored skirt and a grey top. She figured it would be easy to...well. 

  
  


Her cheeks heat up and she has to tell herself to calm down. She has already gone through the many stages of denial in those six hours. Denying that she’s capable of a booty call. That he wants someone as inexperienced as she. Then again, she’s all but willing to learn...she supposes. If he’s even willing to teach.

  
  


She lifts herself up from the couch and decides to go upstairs. Realizing that he didn’t _specifically_ say anything was off limits...and it’s not as if she’s intent on snooping or even entering his bedroom—

  
  


Even though she’s certain she can orient herself based on the location of _her_ house and her own bedroom. 

  
  


She shakes her head and ascends the stairs that lead to the second floor, noticing how Kakashi doesn’t have... really _any_ sort of ‘personal’ photos. Nothing of any friends or family. Only decorative pictures line the hall she’s found herself in and she can’t keep help but wonder why that is, exactly.

  
  


Her head snaps up at the sound of the garage door opening and she’s surprised she doesn’t have an aneurism what with the blood that leaves her face. She can’t even _move_ even as the door to the house opens. The dogs bark and howl at who she’s sure is Kakashi and she can hear him muttering what she thinks are commands to his small army of dogs. It sounds as if he’s ushered them back into the garage because it’s not long before absolute silence covers the house… 

  
  


And he begins to ascend the stairs.

  
  


She holds her breath at the sound of footsteps nearing and she soon sees him turn the corner. When his gaze lands on hers he pauses, tilting his head at how she’s standing—hands wrung in front of her. 

  
  


She allows them to fall and balls her hands into fists instead, licking her bottom lip. “How was work?” she asks, immediately kicking herself because _why_ would she ask that of all things?

  
  


He smirks and it’s _obvious_ that he knows she’s nervous. “Fine. As expected.” 

  
  


She doesn’t know what he means by that, because _of course_ she doesn’t. But it doesn’t stop him from closing the gap between them. 

  
  


He walks to her—tired, but...there’s a look of deep-seeded hunger in his eyes. 

  
  


A hunger for her. 

  
  


She backs into a wall, chest heaving as he presses against her and cages her in. He’s covered in sweat, but it doesn’t phase her in the slightest. Because the smell of his musk and the desire he has for her clouds her mind as he places his hands on her ass to lift her up the wall. She instinctively wraps her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, slowly grinding into what she _knows_ is his growing erection. She can feel with every turn of her hips the pressure it puts on her already soaked clit and she moans at the contact. 

  
  


She pulls at his hair which she knows he loves so much. Their lips fuse together once more in what feels frenzied and _desperate_. Desperate in how they seek for the other’s taste and she’s nearly delirious. 

  
  


Clothes are coming off in an instant and she can’t quite catch up with what’s going on in her mind. Fear, nervousness, excitement. Part of her wants to just keep going but at the same time she just wants to press the pause button on what is already turning her mind into mush. 

  
  


Certainly with the way his _hands_ feel on her and when his erection circles her clit. She doesn’t want it to stop. 

  
  


She manages to pull away and he’s still chasing after her lips but she does her best to still him. He finally looks at her— _really_ looks at her even through their erratic breathing. She leans her forehead against his and massages the back of his neck. 

  
  


“I... there’s something I have to tell you.” 

  
  


He pulls away slightly and gives her a confused look. “Tell me?” 

  
  


She nods her head and leans it against the wall slowly and licks her lips. “I’ve only—I’ve only ever done this a few times.” she admits and his eyes widen slightly. “Even then, I can’t say I know that much.” she breathes and Kakashi goes still. His sudden calmness concerns her and she shifts slightly against the wall in discomfort. “I understand if...if you want someone with more—“

  
  


“Sakura.” 

  
  


She tries to hold in the initial gasp at how _deep_ his voice turns and she immediately snaps her mouth shut. 

  
  


“I want,” he says, voice strained and he connects their foreheads once more, “nothing more,” he strains, “than to _fuck_ you so hard it doesn’t even matter to you.”

  
  


Her eyes widen and flutter to his, noticing his nostrils flare as he licks his bottom lip. “Will you let me do that?” 

  
  


She’s rendered speechless and all she can do is nod her head as she sees his lips curl into a smirk. “Good. Now it’s my turn to confess something.” he says and she wrinkles her brow at what it could possibly be that _he_ has to confess. 

  
  


“I like control, Sakura.” 

  
  


She blinks. “Control?” 

  
  


He nods his head and continues to look at her with intensity. “I... like telling people what to do.” 

  
  


“People?” she asks timidly, the remark she made earlier about not being experienced making her feel self-conscious and immature.

  
  


“Yes.” he says and lets out a breath. “But _especially_ you.” 

  
  


She pauses, a bit thrown off by his declaration. But it doesn’t erase the fact that they’re coated in a depth and darkness that she’s not typically used to in both him...or any man, really. And she can’t deny the pull she feels just from his presence and before she can even fully comprehend all of this she’s nodding her head once more. “I think...I think I might like that.” 

  
  


He lets out a strained breath—Sakura still against the wall with her legs wrapped around his waist. After a few moments she feels him release her and soon her feet fall to the floor. He’s looking at her curiously, and she can’t help but send her gaze downward under his gaze.

  
  


“Show me.” he suddenly says in that same _dark_ tone and her head snaps up. 

  
  


“Show you?” 

  
  


“Show me how well you follow instruction.” 

  
  


Her eyes shift slightly...but she nods her head nonetheless. Kakashi lets out a breath and puts his hands behind his back. “On your knees.” he commands and she does exactly that—slowly dropping to the floor and her eyes never leave his. 

  
  


“Crawl.” he commands. “To my room. You should know where.” he says with a small smirk. 

  
  


She can feel slick build with every dark slip of his tongue and she soon feels herself turn and begin to crawl towards his bedroom. She waves her ass high in the air—now extremely thankful that she had picked a skirt to wear for that part of the evening. She knows for sure that he can see her pink underwear and the wet spot that marks it. All but hearing how his breathing deepens and grows more ragged, she throws some sway in her hips with every crawl of her legs. 

  
  


“Good.” he grinds out. “Good girl.” 

  
  


Sakura reaches his room and resists the urge to look behind her. Instead, turning to enter a room that she _very_ much anticipated being his. It was neat and monochrome as she envisioned. With grey colored walls and dark furniture. But she has little time to savor it before feeling him slowly circle to her front. 

  
  


“Up.” he grunts. “On your knees.” 

  
  


She does as she’s told and instinctively licks her lips at the sight of his erection in front of her—bulging and _so hard_ and it takes everything in her not to scratch at and free him of those dark pants. She doesn’t have to wait long, however. Watching as he slowly begins to undo his belt—pulling it through the loops and allowing it fall to the ground with a _thump._

  
  


She gulps down the lump in her throat and looks up to him, examining how his eyes have turned _so impossibly dark_ and there’s a different kind of excitement in them. “You want to feel me?” he asks and she nods her head _vehemently._ He chuckles and lets out a sigh. “Show me how much then.” 

  
  


She doesn’t look away when she reaches between them. Doesn’t look away when she lowers the zipper of his dark pants. Or when she digs her hand in to reach what she _knows_ is his straining cock. She swallows down that same eager breath when he’s free—watching him twitch at how in _awe_ she is. 

  
  


Looking up at Kakashi, he’s the image of stoicness. But with every swipe of her thumb and slight pump of her fist—she can see him begin to crumble. And with that she feels a newfound power within herself that she didn’t think she’d find during this encounter.

  
  


Before she knows it she feels herself lower to him and opens her mouth—taking as much of him as she can. He immediately bucks his hips and she gags slightly, earning a pleased moan from. She hums and he groans once more at the vibration created at the back of her throat. She closes her eyes and slowly begins to move—staining against his girth but she doesn’t mind in the slightest. Doesn’t mind the stretch of her mouth because it only deepens her desire and the slick that’s quickly building between her legs. 

  
  


After a few minutes of rigorously sweeping her mouth and tongue up and down his length she feels him pull her off. “Come here.”

  
  


She does as she’s told and stands, following as he backs up to his bed and sheds his bottoms off before seating himself on the edge—fisting his cock as he does so. He pulls her even closer, her legs now on either side of his knee. Using his other hand, he snakes it up her thigh and towards the fabric between her legs to tug everything aside. She yelps when she feels his middle finger ghost along her bare sex and he hums in what she can only assume is approval at the amount of slick that costs his finger.

  
  


Because she’s soaked. She absolutely is. 

  
  


And ready for him. 

  
  


He’s still fisting his cock when he pulls her closer, his tip now brushing against her heat. “Now,” he says, voice a dangerous sort of quiet as she lowers her face to his, “I’m going to watch.” 

  
  


She gapes slightly. “What—“

  
  


“I’m going to watch,” he strains, “as you fuck yourself _right,”_ he bucks his hips, “ _here.”_

  
  


His voice is so delicious and dark and she can barely contain herself as a shuddered moan leaves her lips. “Go as slow as you want, baby.” he urges and she shivers at the pet name. “Because later,” he breathes, “when I _do_ fuck you,” he gives his hips another turn, “it’ll be anything but slow.” 

  
  


She all but feels the liquid that drips straight from her heat and down her thighs at the words she never thought _any man_ would _ever_ say to her. She can hardly contain her excitement as she feels herself slowly slip down onto him. 

  
  


He’s big. She knows he’s big. And she knows that it will take a bit for her to adjust but she knows she’ll be seeing stars in a minute so she goes slow—just as he said to. She inches herself down and doesn’t intend to stop until she’s buried herself to the hilt. Her mouth opens in a silent cry at how _full_ she feels. Full of _him._

  
  


“Good.” he manages to ground out, more shaky than when he said it before. “Good girl.” 

  
  


She gives a squeeze of her walls and lets out a faint whimper at the pitiful attempt to even give anything more than something so meager. But he kisses her lips nonetheless. An act of reassurance and she wraps her arms around his neck. 

  
  


Her legs shake from the strain and it’s then that she realizes she needs to _move._ She lifts her body, though it takes some effort because she’s never been so full like this before. 

  
  


“ _Fuck,_ you feel amazing.” he says and the praise spurs her on. “Need you to fuck me, though.” he urges and she whines at the feel of his hips circling—his cock shifting inside her. “Need to see you fuck yourself on my cock.” 

  
  


She’s halfway there, she thinks. Still ascending his cock and when she reaches the tip she lowers herself, a bit faster this time. He makes a pleased sound and buries his face in her neck. “Fuck, yes.” he growls. “Just like that.” 

  
  


She does it again. Lifts herself and does it faster this time. She does this over and _over._ Does it until her legs are positively shaking with effort and she’s almost screaming out in pleasure. His breath is erratic against her neck and she’s _sure_ it’s red what with the amount of biting and sucking he’s been preoccupied with while she uses his cock. 

  
  


He’s deeper now, if that’s even possible and a low moan escapes his lips. “Such a good girl.” he murmurs. “Working this soft little cunt.” 

  
  


She can’t believe what she’s hearing. Can’t believe she’s fucking her _neighbor_ and that he’s saying these impossibly _sinful_ words to her. She never expected for him to be so visceral. So in control of her and she was loving every second of it.

  
  


“You ready, Sakura?” she suddenly hears him ask. “You ready for me to fuck you?” 

  
  


She bites down on her lip and rocks forward a bit, signaling her answer and he positively _growls_ his approval. He grips her hips with a ferocity and suddenly lifts her so that he’s standing. He hauls her up and _slams_ her back down onto him—nearly stealing her breath away. 

  
  


“Oh, _fuck!”_

  
  


She doesn’t expect it. Doesn’t expect when he starts fucking her right then and there. Bouncing her up and down on his cock and she somehow takes him even _deeper_ this way. 

  
  


It’s almost too much—feeling him like this. Sliding against her walls that are still so _fucking_ tight and the added friction of the ridges of his stiff cock are—

  
  


“So _fucking_ good.” she murmurs into the air. 

  
  


Kakashi smirks, breathing, “So _god damn good,”_ for emphasis and she can’t help the press of her lips against his. It’s another heated kiss. Deep and seeking in whatever bit of passion it can find. 

  
  


He then turns and places her on the bed—never breaking their kiss as he climbs over her. Her legs are splayed open as wide as they can go and he continues to fuck her. Fuck her like he _promised_ he would. He finds a rhythm that nearly knocks her breath away as his hips snap and rock in desperation. 

  
  


“Gonna come.” he murmurs against her mouth and her hand flies down between them. She’s not sure what possesses her to do so but she begins to rub her clit in tight little circles. He moans into her mouth and she can already feel her walls contracting around him. 

  
  


“Come on me.” he says and she positively _screams_ at the command _._ “Come on my cock.” 

  
  


It’s desperate—the way he says it. And she soon finds that she’s losing herself. Losing herself to the orgasm that suddenly rips through her. At his command but also the fervent slapping of his hips against hers. 

  
  


He lets out a shuddered breath and pulls himself out— spilling his spend right onto her stomach. He pumps his cock several times before emptying completely and it’s then that he cages her in with his hands on either side of her. 

  
  


He bends and gives her a sort of lazy kiss and she’s still high on whatever the _fuck_ just happened. A small laugh escapes his lips and she gives him a confused look. 

  
  


“I got, uh—“ he lets out a breath. “A bit carried away.” 

  
  


She wrinkles her brow in confusion. “What?” 

  
  


He sits himself back—sweat lining his entire body as he continues to catch his breath. “I just...you—“ He’s struggling to say whatever it is he wants to get out. “ _Fuck,_ I don’t know. You just,” he pauses and shakes his head, “ever since I met you…I _had_ to have you.” 

  
  


She looks at him in awe. In awe that someone would _want_ her as much as he wants her and she can’t help but smile lazily below him. “Yeah?” 

  
  


He smirks. “Yeah.” 

  
  


There’s a bit of silence between them as they just look at one another. Basking in what surely was the _best_ lay of her life and she can only hope it’s not the last. 

  
  


She watches as he gets up from above her—his spend still on her stomach as he walks towards his en suite bathroom. “Need to get you clean—for later.”

  
  


She sits up on her elbows and looks at him. “Later?”

  
  


Kakashi pauses at the door to his bathroom, glancing back to give her another one of his _knowing_ looks—

  
  


“Sakura...I’m _far_ from done with you.” 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been over the MOON at the amount of praise this has been getting. Your comments are ultimately what keeps me going—because this chapter was HARD to find inspo for. But being motivated by your comments gave me the extra push I needed so tysm!
> 
> I have another story in the works—so be on the lookout for that!


	6. benefits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura reaps the benefits of having a hot neighbor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long to get out! I had other obligations but was able to crank this out last night and edit it this morning! 
> 
> Please enjoy!

He wasn’t kidding. Not when he said he was far from done with her. 

  
  


She’s lost count of how many orgasms she’s had and the amount of ways they were coaxed out of her. With his fingers, his tongue, his  _ cock.  _ She’s sure as hell that at one point as they were sleeping he may have just been rubbing her with his cockhead and she came simply from that. 

  
  


So as she sits at her kitchen counter with a piping hot cup of coffee, she can’t help but smile stupidly into the steam. The evening was  _ nothing  _ like she expected. Ever  _ experienced.  _ And he was right. When he said it wouldn’t matter. Because it didn’t. Not anymore. 

  
  


In truth, he’s most likely still asleep in his bed as she ruminates over her coffee in her own home next door. She left him, but only because she remembered she agreed to help Tenten move into her new apartment. And she made sure to leave him a note—expressing specifically that she does, in fact, want to see him again. 

  
  


Without the added expectation of...well. She knows. 

  
  


She bites into her bagel as she wonders what it really  _ is  _ that she wants from this. She can’t seriously admit to herself that she wants Kakashi to be anything other than a ‘booty call’. As ridiculous as that sounds at her age. Nothing from their previous conversations alluded to anything like that. And the last thing she wants is to come off as a clingy young woman in her twenties because a man like Kakashi, she thinks, is  _ certainly  _ over that. 

  
  


There’s no way he wants a relationship. There’s just  _ no way.  _ And in the end she figures she should be happy. That she has something as freeing as this. A neighbor—

  
  


With benefits...she supposes she can call it. 

  
  


Just as she’s about to take a bite her phone pings and she scrunches her brow, looking towards the clock. She’s not supposed to pick up Ten for another half hour and she checks—her heart stopping in the process. 

  
  


She bites her lip as she unlocks her phone to read the message.

  
  


**_Kakashi: Cute note._ **

  
  


She snorts and smiles down at the screen. 

  
  


_ Not mad at me are you?  _

  
  


It’s meant to be teasing, and she can only hope that he receives it that way. She really didn’t mean to just  _ leave— _ and she wouldn’t have had she known she’d be fucked in every way imaginable before agreeing to help Tenten last night at the party. 

  
  


**_Kakashi: Not if you make it up to me later._ **

  
  


_ Later as in...tonight?  _

  
  


**_Kakashi: Eager little thing, aren’t you?_ **

  
  


She can’t help but bite her lip—suppressing the idiotic smile that’s forcing its way across her mouth. She ultimately fails and rests her head against the wall as she thinks of a response. 

  
  


_ You’ve made me eager.  _

  
  


A small squeal escapes her lips as she sets down her phone and rubs her hands over her face. She can’t handle all of this... excitement. What it does to her body. The shiver that runs down her spine anytime she texts him. Hell, even  _ talks  _ to him. Sure she was once infatuated with Sasuke but…

  
  


It’s  _ nothing  _ like this. 

  
  


Her phone pings and she picks it up in her hands to quickly read his message. 

  
  


**_Kakashi: In that case…_ **

  
  


She knows that he’s waiting for her to take the bait. And there’s a small part of her that wants to throw it back in his face but then she wonders... what’s the point in that when she _wants_ to be obvious. She’s not in a situation where she can be shy or _obtuse._

  
  


Kakashi is a man. And men want anything  _ but  _ that. She licks her lips as she stares down at the screen.

  
  


_ See you sometime soon? _

  
  


It takes virtually no time for him to respond.

  
  


**_Kakashi: Yes, see you soon._ **

  
  


* * *

  
  


Sakura slams the door of her car closed as she walks on towards Tenten’s apartment complex. She scrunches her brows together and takes off her sunglasses at what she immediately recognizes as Ino’s car. An annoyed groan escapes her lips and she trudges up the paved walkway—knowing that, one way or another, she’s going to be forced to spin some kind of story to save herself the annoyance. 

  
  


She isn’t even given a second to think about it before she hears a loud  _ hey  _ shouted from above her. Casting her gaze upward, her eyes land on Ino who is leaning over the balcony edge. She’s pointing to Sakura, in an accusatory way no less and she can’t help but blanch as she throws the door open to the apartment complex. 

  
  


Her legs feel heavy as she climbs the stairs. She had been looking forward to a day that was free of Ino but she supposes she can’t have everything. Her one hand glides along the metal bar as she finds herself on the second floor. Stepping onto the landing, she turns a corner and approaches Tenten’s door. 

  
  


But before she can even knock she hears footsteps shuffle and the sound of the deadbolt unlocking. She holds her breath and is greeted by a disgruntled Ino—who immediately pulls Sakura inside. 

  
  


“Chill, dog!” Sakura squeals as she rubs the forearm Ino had yanked on. 

  
  


“You better spill  _ everything.”  _

  
  


Sakura lets out another annoyed groan and leans a hand onto Tenten’s small kitchen table. “Shouldn’t we be helping Ten?” 

  
  


Ino waves a hand. “She’s fine.” 

  
  


“Where is she, even?” 

  
  


She hears Ino click her tongue and looks left and right, causing Sakura to shake her head and push off from the table. “What have you been  _ doing  _ this entire time?” 

  
  


“You really want to know?” 

  
  


She checks Tenten’s bedroom and finds it empty. “You know what? No, I don’t.” she says absentmindedly as she turns back towards the kitchen. “I came here to help Ten—so where is she?”

  
  


Ino crosses her arms and shrugs. “I think she went out to grab coffee for the three of us. You know, for helping.”

  
  


Sakura scoffs. “Well you’re doing a great job of that.”

  
  


“What is your  _ issue _ ?” Ino presses as she sits down on one of the kitchen chairs, urging Sakura to do the same. “Are you in a hurry or something?”

  
  


_ “No.”  _ Sakura quips—not wanting to draw any attention to her recent escapades. 

  
  


“You sure?” 

  
  


“Yes, Pig.” 

  
  


“Man.” she says as she leans back and crosses her arms. “You are in a  _ mood  _ today.” 

  
  


“Oh? I’m sorry.” Sakura says as she leans forward in her chair. “I guess I shouldn’t be upset about you just randomly throwing a party at a house that’s not yours. My mistake.” 

  
  


“Fine—but if  _ I’m  _ not mistaken, did you not go home with ‘hot neighbor’ last night?” 

  
  


Sakura zips her lip and turns away from Ino—knowing she’s already revealed herself and she grimaces at Ino’s squeal. 

  
  


“You did!” she says loudly. “You totally did!” 

  
  


Sakura remains silent and can’t help the scowl on her face at Ino’s excitement. It’s not that she’s not excited herself...because she is. More so than Ino, she’d argue. But it doesn’t mean she’s as keen as her blabber-mouth friend to just announce that she got fucked six ways to Sunday just several hours ago. She can still feel the soreness despite still having a craving for him. Still feel that need to be  _ filled  _ even though she knows she’s on the brink of being torn apart. 

  
  


“Well, come on—” she hears Ino urge once more, “Spill!”

  
  


Sakura sighs and shakes her head. “I really don’t want to.” 

  
  


“Why? Was it bad?”

  
  


“No!” Sakura defends and shrugs her shoulders. “I just don’t think I need to disclose every bit of my personal life to you.”

  
  


“Why not?”

  
  


“Because it always goes the same!” she says. “I tell you something personal and you judge me in some way. I’m not putting myself out there but when I do I’m being too reckless.” 

  
  


“I haven’t said that.” 

  
  


“No, but you  _ will.”  _

  
  


Ino rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. “I just don’t want you to turn into some spinster on the couch.” 

  
  


“Then how about you leave that for _ me  _ to figure out.” 

  
  


“But—“

  
  


“And what’s so wrong with being a spinster on the couch if I  _ enjoy  _ doing that?” 

  
  


Ino crosses her arms and scrunches her brows together, to which Sakura responds with an annoyed grunt as she lifts herself from her seat.

  
  


“Tell Ten I’ll buy her dinner or something.”

  
  


“Oh, come  _ on— _ Sakura!” Ino calls as she stalks to the front door. “Look, I’m sorry about the party!” 

  
  


She slams the door behind her and walks to the stairwell, shrugging her shoulders to relieve some tension as she does so. In essence, she’s happy to get a moment’s peace and just go home. She feels bad ditching on Tenten, but that just means more work for Ino which, honestly—doesn’t sound so bad right now. 

  
  


As she flies down the stairs and exits the building, she wonders just  _ how  _ she’ll get through the day doing what she wants to do; which is relax. But she can’t, of course, knowing she’s due to have another what she’s sure to be a  _ delicious  _ time with Kakashi sometime in the near future.

  
  


She’s thankful to not hear yet another squawk from Ino as she climbs into her car. She starts the engine and peels out as fast as she can—setting course for home which, really, isn’t that far of a drive. 

  
  


It allows her a few minutes to think. Truly think back on just what shenanigans she was getting into several hours ago. Behaviors that she really had no idea she was evening capable of. But she relishes in it nonetheless. It’s like a different, more  _ daring  _ side of her has awakened and she can’t help but hone in on it entirely. To wonder if this is the Sakura she’s been repressing all these years. That she isn’t, in fact, this fragile girl everyone mistakes her as. At least…

  
  


At least Kakashi sees her differently. 

  
  


She lets out a heavy sigh and decides what she needs is to freaking  _ relax— _ so the instant she puts her car in park she’s shifting out of her seat and walking to her house. She doesn’t even look to see if Kakashi’s car is there because she's so wound up. 

  
  


Walking straight into her home, she marches up the stairs to throw on some workout attire. Not so much to ‘workout’, but she figures she could use a few uninterrupted minutes to stretch her limbs and do some meditation. It’s really all she can muster after days with Ino—which are usually nothing short of taxing. Even if she  _ is  _ her best friend. 

  
  


Sakura walks down the flight of stairs leading to the first floor and walks down the hall leading into her kitchen. She fills her water bottle and makes the decision to do her ‘workout’ outside on the deck. It’s not extremely  _ hot _ , perse, but enough that she knows she can build up a sweat so she decides for it. 

  
  


She opens the sliding glass door and steps out—laying her yoga mat down soon after. She bends down to pull it taut and lifts to place her water bottle on top of the circular glass table. Closing her eyes, she steps to the top of her mat and raises her arms, cycling through the first round of stretches to loosen up her body. She can feel a small tingling in her arms as she does so and remembers to breath through her nose and exhale through her mouth. 

  
  


She can already feel her mind clearing from the frustrations of the day, finding that her mind is drifting to...other thoughts. Thoughts that really have no business being in her mind at the moment and it only makes her body burn hotter. She can’t  _ not  _ think about last night. Especially when she’s in these...vulnerable positions. 

  
  


Turning to take a quick sip of her water, she suppresses a squeal at the sight of (speak of the devil) Kakashi on his deck _.  _ He’s got a smirk on his face. Because  _ of course  _ he does. He’s leaning against the edge and has this look on his face that reads,  _ don’t mind me.  _

  
  


A small smirk ghosts her lips—though not enough for him to see. She almost wants to play it like she’s not aware he’s watching. She hadn’t exactly looked  _ directly  _ at him and her squeal was barely audible. Taking one last gulp of her water, she turns once more and goes along with her plan to ignore his presence. 

  
  


Because she knows _exactly_ what she’s doing as she bends forward—ass high in the air. And this time she knows he’s looking. Because as she places her hands flat on the mat and looks between her legs, she can all but see his heated stare as he just sits and watches. Like he’s watching something so _leisurely._

  
  


His fingers are curled around his mouth as he seems to study her carefully. His foot balances on his knee and she lets out a steadying breath as she begins to feel the sweat build up. Her breasts feel heavy as gravity pulls them down, straining against the fabric of her sports bra. She slowly begins to lift herself and concentrates on making sure she does, in fact, know what she’s doing. Careful not to topple over as she slowly lifts herself to a stand. 

  
  


Anxiety fills her as she remembers her little strip tease from the week before—wondering what she’ll see if she turns this time. And when she does—

  
  


She’s not disappointed. Because when she turns to look his way, he’s positively  _ leering  _ at her. He’s now standing with his hands resting at the top of the railing. Looking at her with what she knows are the same eyes in which he declared he was  _ far  _ from done with her. 

  
  


The look in his eyes reads ‘get the fuck over here’ and she can’t help but be coy. Batting her lashes and twirling her hair as she turns once more. She pretends she doesn’t know he’s there—even though it’s completely obvious that this is a repeat of the bedroom striptease. In the back of her mind she knows she shouldn’t. Knows it goes against everything she said earlier about not being obtuse. But she can’t help herself. 

  
  


It’s too damn  _ fun.  _

  
  


And she knows he’ll get her back. She  _ knows  _ he will. Which makes her unable to wait for the punishment he has planned for her.

* * *

  
  
  


A yawn escapes her lips as she continues to lounge on the couch. She hasn’t, at least she thinks, changed positions in what she feels has been a few hours. Lying on her back with her legs up and feet dangling off the back of the couch. Some would argue it’s a less than comfortable position—though Sakura would argue otherwise. 

  
  


She sighs and lets out a groan as she finally lifts herself up, stretching and feeling her body shake awake as she does so. Yet another stifled yawn escapes her and she decides then that it’s probably time for her to collapse into bed. 

  
  


With heavy legs she climbs up the stairs, hand on the banister to aid her as she drags her sleepy body to the second floor landing. She walks to her bedroom and opens the door, eyes immediately widening as the light from Kakashi’s bedroom shines into the darkness of her own. She tilts her head in a quizzical way, walking to her window to inspect further. She can’t see him, at least not from the angle she can see—which is simply a view of the opposite wall and the door adjacent to his closet. She can only see the end of his bed and it doesn’t look like he’s sitting or lying down on it. 

  
  


Her breath hitches in her throat when she sees him enter his room, shirt off and dressed in only a pair of what she thinks are workout shorts. He lifts his gaze to look out the window and immediately takes notice to her. She then realizes that the moon is already high in the sky—casting its white and illuminating haze  _ just  _ right so that it reveals her face to him. 

  
  


He doesn’t wave. Doesn’t acknowledge her—at least not really. But she can tell that he’s aware of her presence. Just as she was earlier but hadn’t exactly made it obvious. Not at least until she was finished with her display. 

  
  


She had a strange feeling this would be his payback. And she can only imagine what he has in store. 

  
  


He turns and rubs his hands together, and it’s then that she notices he has a pull-up bar above his door. Her mouth immediately goes dry at his sculpted back as he takes a small leap and grasps onto the bar with both hands. 

  
  


Yes, he’s getting back at her—as he should. And all she can do is watch. Watch shamelessly through her window just as he had a week ago. Watch the muscles of his triceps and upper back flex as he begins to work up and down from the bar. 

  
  


She feels heat lick at her insides as sweat lines his back. That wet  _ hot  _ pressure that tingles between her legs and  _ oh god  _ she wishes she could just pull up a chair and do what she needs to with him so shamelessly making her go  _ mad.  _

  
  


He doesn’t look back. Because he  _ knows  _ she’s watching. And why should he? He’s taking full advantage of the fact that she had teased him mercilessly. Left him hanging while he waited for her in his  _ bed— _ all things considered. 

  
  


She deserves to be punished in this way for the frustration she caused him that night and earlier that afternoon. She’s just being dumb now. And she hates herself for making him have to go on with this tortuous—dare she say  _ unnecessary  _ foreplay. 

  
  


He’s still in the middle of his exercise regimen when she leaves the window. She can only hope that he turns to find she’s not there—filled with that similar disappointment that she felt. And as she flies down her stairs and slips out the front door of her house, she can’t help but think of herself as completely and utterly  _ crazy.  _ She’s crazed and  _ sex-bent  _ and can’t control herself at the sight of him all sweaty and it not being because of  _ her.  _

  
  


She walks down her driveway only to turn almost immediately into his. And it’s then that she feels her body turn prickly and a heat that’s white hot run down her spine. She’s acting completely on instinct and adrenaline and completely unaware of the fact that she would  _ never  _ do something like this. 

  
  


But Kakashi is different. And she realized that the moment she fled her bedroom only to be in front of his door now. She lifts her hand to knock but he beats her to it—gasping as the door opens to reveal Kakashi in all of his masculine glory. His chest is glistening with sweat and he’s a bit breathless already. It’s only then that she  _ really  _ notices how insanely in shape this man is. It’s almost an anomaly and she can’t quite focus with the way he’s looking at her. With that dark and all-consuming—almost  _ challenging  _ stare like he had given her that night at the party. 

  
  


And the next thing she knows they’re in a collision of heat and friction. Kakashi pulls her into his house and immediately slams her into the nearest wall. She doesn’t have time to even comprehend before her hands are tangled in his hair and his hands find her ass. She sheds herself of her shirt so she can feel him.  _ Really  _ feel him and he growls—lowering his head to latch on a nipple and suck it into his mouth. She yelps in surprise when he releases with a loud  _ pop,  _ saying something completely filthy like how he knew he’d love her tits. 

  
  


Her head falls against the wall as she just gives in. Gives into the bliss of being dragged into her neighbor’s home and being fucked against a wall. Allowing him to lick and suck at her breasts as he fucks up into her like he’s trying to  _ prove  _ something. 

  
  


He whispers obscenities into her skin and it only makes her more delirious. Things like how  _ perfect  _ she is. How  _ tight  _ she is. How he only ever wants to be inside her because it feels so right. Like it’s the only way to be. To feel her pulse and throb and  _ fall apart  _ all around him. 

  
  


And when she finally does it’s not long before he carries her to his bedroom. Knowing then that she really should and can  _ definitely  _ get used to this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t leave me hanging! Drop a comment! 
> 
> Few quick words: If any of you have read my one-shot _One Last Time_ , it’s now a multi-chap story. So be sure to check it out! I also have a new story called _Breaking Pointe_ which is an angsty ballerina AU. 
> 
> I also have a tumblr that you can check out [here](https://rainsdawn.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> Thanks again!


	7. so much for that

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura enlists some friends for help and seeks out Kakashi to lend a hand—unable to keep her mind _or_ hands off of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took so long because I kept giggling all throughout it. I had to take so many breaks. 
> 
> Also, there's one thing I'm gonna retcon. I'll go back later and change that little bit of dialogue they have in chapter...3? I think? When Sakura tells him she's a geriatric nurse—yeah. I'm changing that. She's an ER nurse now. You'll see why I'm making that change next chapter. 
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy!

It’s not that she forgot. Not necessarily. She just...had a  _ slight  _ lapse in judgement which caused her to overlook the fact that—

  
  


Alright. She forgot. 

  
  


But she can’t  _ completely  _ blame herself. Not when the delivery date had been switched up on her and she just...she  _ forgot  _ that it was to, in fact, be delivered...today. 

  
  


Which is why she now finds herself staring at a, albeit  _ beautiful,  _ but heavy as  _ fuck  _ piano in her front yard. 

  
  


She runs an agitated hand through her hair as she awaits reinforcements. It’s been a week since she last spoke to Ino, which means it took some coaxing to even get her to help in the way of sending reinforcements. But after agreeing to go to dinner sometime soon she eventually agreed to call for her housemates Shikamaru and Kiba for help. 

  
  


It’s not long before her eyes settle on two cars pulling into her driveway. Kiba and Shikamaru climb out of one and she looks over—

  
  


Finding Yamato climb out of the other. They exchange warm smiles and she can’t help but blush at the faint memory, though it’s fading. 

  
  


They’re friends. Good friends. And for that Sakura is eternally grateful. Though it still doesn’t help the fact that they...well for a lack of a better term  _ boned  _ at one point. She’s been able to erase it from recent memory and stay friends. Good friends, as she said before. They get coffee every once in a while since he insists that she saved his life. 

  
  


When in reality all she did was ice his balls after an ‘accident’ while at a bachelor party. 

  
  


She laughs at the memory. Back when she had just started her nursing career in the emergency room. And her second patient being  _ his.  _ She really couldn’t make it up if she wanted to. 

  
  


She waves at Kiba and Shikamaru as they eye the piano. “Hey guys.” she says and they wave in her direction. They look over to Yamato and Sakura introduces him, “This is Yamato. He’s a friend of mine.” 

  
  


“Hey man.” Kiba says and shakes his hand as Shikamaru sizes up the piano. 

  
  


“This is an upright grand.” 

  
  


Sakura wrinkles her brow. “Pardon?” 

  
  


“It’s an upright grand.” he repeats and shakes his head. “Meaning there’s a  _ fuckton  _ of weight at the top of this thing.”

  
  


Sakura shrugs her shoulders and Shikamaru lets out a troublesome sigh. “ _ So  _ this is going to be really hard.” 

  
  


She lets out a groan and shakes her head. “Well what do you want me to do? Go get you guys some sandwiches? I have beers in the fridge.”

  
  


“It’s fine.” he says with a wave of his hand as he walks to the other end of the piano. She suppresses the urge to roll her eyes and looks over to Yamato, who’s still just standing there and smiling. He shrugs his shoulders and walks to the opposite end, which is at the front. When ready, the three do an experimental lift and immediately place it back down. 

  
  


“Fuck.” Kiba says and Sakura worries at her lip. 

  
  


“What?” 

  
  


“It’s fucking heavy that’s what.” 

  
  


“How did they even get it out here?” Shikamaru chimes in. 

  
  


“Fucking forklift would be my guess.”

  
  


“Look, I’m sorry!” Sakura yells and lets out a frustrated breath, “Do you want to just go?”

  
  


“No.” Yamato says and looks at both Kiba and Shikamaru. “Look, guys, we can do this. Okay? For Sakura.”

  
  


The two both nod their heads and get back to their positions at either end of the piano. She continues to bite at her lip as she watches them get it a few meager steps up the path to her door. 

  
  


Panic consumes her as she watches her friends fail to get the piano up that  _ blasted  _ step in her home over and over. It’s not that they’re not strong—per se. But the fact of the matter is she’s got three guys trying to get this fucking piano into her house which she didn’t realize was an upright grand which meant all the weight was at the top and—

  
  


Just then she hears the piano drop once more and a crescendo of sighs from the men in front of her. She mumbles a faint  _ fuck it  _ and briskly turns away from them all. 

  
  


“Hey!” Shikamaru calls but Sakura waves her hand to dismiss him. 

  
  


“I’ll be right back.” 

  
  


Without thinking she’s flying down her driveway, her head snapping over to Kakashi’s with every step of the way. She turns and walks up his driveway, just now noticing the car that’s been parked and she lets out a relieved breath. 

  
  


She’s not thinking. She knows she’s not thinking because it’s the adrenaline in control of her mind. Controlling her mind from thinking that she really had no business going to him for anything other than...well. 

  
  


Her fist immediately connects with the door and she feels her breath still in her throat. It takes a few truly  _ agonizing  _ minutes of silence as Sakura looks back and forth from her house to the door she’s in front of. But after a few what  _ in reality _ were a few short moments the door unlocks and is pulled open to reveal Kakashi with a rather pleased look on his face. 

  
  


Pleased to see her, she can only hope to assume. 

  
  


“Well,” he says with that  _ smirk  _ as he lifts his arm to lean it against the door, “to what do I owe—“

  
  


“I need your help.” she blurts out, wide-eyed and she suddenly realizes she’s made a mistake in her wording when he immediately lowers his arm. 

  
  


“Yeah,” he says, tone shifting, “of course whatever you need—“ he rambles quickly and she shakes her head. 

  
  


“No, sorry.” she says with a laugh. “I didn’t mean for that to come off so, uh,” she pauses and puts a hand on her forehead, “dire.” 

  
  


There’s a brief pause as Kakashi continues to look at her with concern. She glances over to her home and his gaze follows and it’s then that his brows raise at the group of men sitting around a piano. 

  
  


“There’s a—” he pauses and tilts his head, “piano in your front yard.”

  
  


“Yup.” 

  
  


Her simple reply causes him to laugh and he lifts a hand to scratch his head. “Do you...need help with that?” 

  
  


She doesn’t answer at first. Mainly because she feels she shouldn’t but before she can even reply he’s got his finger up like he’s telling her to wait. He closes the door only slightly to slip his shoes on and she waits—unable to do much else. 

  
  


Before she knows it he’s closing the door behind him and walking to his garage. He punches in the code and she watches it open, revealing what she already knew was a workspace of sorts and gardening tools. He walks over to a metal chest and opens it, taking out several pairs of heavy duty gloves to bring with him. 

  
  


He winks at her before walking up his driveway and over to her own. Her friends, who are still huddled around the piano, look up and give Sakura a confused look which quickly turns to relief when they see the gloves in his hands. 

  
  


“Man!” Kiba calls and slaps Shikamaru on the back. “I told you we should have brought gloves.” 

  
  


Kakashi just laughs but then tilts his head at the man at the front of the piano. “Yamato?” he calls and Sakura’s gaze snaps to the man whose head pops up from the front. 

  
  


Yamato smiles and lifts himself up from his seated position. “Kakashi!.” he says and walks over to give him a hug. “I thought that was your house next door.” 

  
  


“Yeah.” Kakashi responds and gives him a pat on the back before turning to Sakura. “I didn’t know you knew Yamato.” 

  
  


“And you do?” Sakura asked with the same amount of shock and Kakashi nodded his head. 

  
  


“We went to college together.” he says and looks between the two of them. “How do  _ you  _ two know each other?” 

  
  


“Um…” Sakura trails off, blushing slightly as she tries her best not to look at Yamato. It was so long ago and honestly didn’t even matter so she figures she shouldn’t entertain him with the details. 

  
  


“Remember Asuma’s bachelor party when I jumped over a traffic cone and tripped and sprained my...um—” 

  
  


“I remember.” 

  
  


“And we went to the emergency room?”

  
  


“Yes.” 

  
  


“Well, Sakura was the one tending to me that night.” 

  
  


“Ah.” Kakashi says, his face unreadable but Sakura knows he’s not an idiot. Though she can only hope that he assumes what happened between her and Yamato was, in fact, a one time thing and they were just friends now. Because they were. 

  
  


She figures that he decides to leave it at that and Sakura lets out a steadying breath, watching as Shikamaru and Yamato grab a pair of gloves. Sakura doesn’t miss the way Kakashi looks on at Yamato as he goes back towards the front of the piano. Doesn’t miss the slight twitch in his eye as he pauses for just a moment. As if he’s connecting the dots in his mind. 

  
  


He places himself next to Yamato and lowers—grabbing a free corner of the piano. “Lift with your legs, yeah?” he calls out and Sakura watches as the others nod their heads. 

  
  


“Sakura,” he says and her eyes snap to his, “get inside so you can tell us where to go.” 

  
  


She nods her head and obeys, though not before watching as they lift the piano and his muscles flex. There’s concentration on his face and she has no idea why but it’s  _ doing  _ things to her. The way he just took charge and the others followed. 

  
  


“Sakura.” he commands and she rushes inside. She watches as they slowly begin to bring it inside, having to pause only a few times but it has become quite clear to her that Kakashi is in  _ tremendous  _ shape. Given his age and the fact that he’s maybe got a decade on both Kiba and Shikamaru. 

  
  


And herself. 

  
  


She bites her lip and tries her best to focus on getting the piano in the house and not drooling over his ripped body. It makes her forget about the fact that Yamato is there and she can’t help but let out a small sigh at the site of perspiration on Kakashi’s arms. 

  
  


“Sakura where is this going?” she hears Shikamaru strain and her head snaps to right next to them. 

  
  


“Um, here.” she says. “Right here.”

  
  


A relieved breath is heard from Kiba and Shikamaru as they all slowly place it on the ground. “We can roll it against the wall. I just didn’t want to ruin the floors.” 

  
  


Kakashi lets out a breath and runs a hand through his hair as she tries to keep her gaze forward. She can tell he’s looking at her which is only making things harder. And she knows he’s looking at her with a different kind of heat than she’s giving him. And it honestly just makes her want Kiba, Shikamaru and Yamato to leave so that she can let him fuck her brains out—to put it bluntly. 

  
  


“That it?” 

  
  


Sakura looks over to Shikamaru and shrugs her shoulders. “Yes,  _ Shikamaru _ . That’s it.” she says and refrains from asking what the  _ fuck  _ is going on with him today. “You can leave now, thank you very much for your help.” 

  
  


The two nod their heads though not before Kiba goes to her fridge to take out a few beers. Sakura shakes her head in disbelief as she watches them leave. “Give Ino my regards, I guess.” she says as they walk out the door. 

  
  


She looks at Yamato and Kakashi. “I’m sorry about them.” she says, and the two just shake their heads. 

  
  


“It’s fine.” Kakashi says as he looks over to Yamato. “So—what are you doing now?” 

  
  


“Now? Like, right now?” 

  
  


“Yeah.” 

  
  


“Well, I guess I was going to see if Sakura wanted to get some coffee?” Yamato says as he looks over to Sakura. Her eyes widen as she resists the urge to look over to Kakashi—which she can only imagine is glaring daggers at Yamato—who is smiling so sweetly at her. 

  
  


She gives him an apologetic look. “Maybe next week? I  _ do  _ want to pay you back somehow.” 

  
  


It’s not a lie. And it’s not as if she expects anything more than coffee because she absolutely does not. Though she also can’t deny the fact that she and Kakashi aren’t anything more than the fabrications she’s made up in her mind about them. Still...

  
  


Still—she’s not interested in doing anything. At least not with him. Not right now. And she smiles as he nods his head in understanding. He looks to Kakashi and shakes his hand. “I’ll text you. Need to get out with the gang again.” 

  
  


“Agreed.” Kakashi answers simply and they both watch as Yamato turns to leave the house. 

  
  


The door closes and it’s just them. She can feel the tension in the air and before she knows that she’s reaching out. Reaching out and saying—

  
  


“So, do you play piano?” 

  
  


She blinks, surprised and all but ready to explain herself but she nods her head. “Um, yeah. I do. I’ve been meaning to buy one for myself.”

  
  


“Well,” he says with a small smile as he walks over to it—inspecting, almost, “it’s beautiful.”

  
  


“Thank you.” she says softly and watches as he continues to observe it. The black in contrast with the ivory keys is almost mesmerizing and she almost misses him bringing his shirt up to wipe his forehead—giving her a glimpse of his shimmering abs. 

  
  


“Do you want some water?”

  
  


He nods his head and she turns to walk over to the kitchen. She can feel him follow her in silence and she can feel the hairs on her arm stand on end.

  
  


They’re met with silence once more and she turns from the sink. She can see his eyes shift slightly as he diverts his gaze elsewhere. And before she knows it she opening her mouth once more to say—

* * *

  
  


“—Hey.”

  
  


He hears her but doesn’t. There’s a slight ringing that’s been in his ear since only a few moments ago and he knows exactly why. 

  
  


He’s not mad at Yamato. Because it would be wrong for him to. But he can’t shake the sickening feel of this...possessiveness. Possessiveness he feels exclusively for  _ her.  _ Though he figures he has a small bit of a right. What with her prancing over to his house in search of something she’s never had. Something only  _ he _ can give her. 

  
  


And he’d be lying if he doesn’t feel a sense of pride in that. 

  
  


“Hey.” she says once more and her hand on his arm snaps him out of his thoughts. He looks over to her and his eyes settle on the small and reassuring smile on her face. “Yamato and I…” she starts and a small blush forms on her cheeks, “that was a long time ago. And only once.” 

  
  


“Sakura—” he says and grabs the hand that’s on his arm, “it’s alright.” 

  
  


He’s not sure if he means it. But he supposes it’s fine. For now. 

  
  


She works her lips and looks at him with uncertainty. “Are you sure?”

  
  


Kakashi lets out a breath and nods his head, turning to face her completely. “I mean, I may look at him funny for a while but…”

  
  


She laughs and slaps a hand on his chest which he catches in his hand. A small breath leaves her lips and he pulls her to him. There’s a...knowing look in her eyes. A look he’s all too familiar with. 

  
  


It’s her  _ fuck me  _ look. 

  
  


In a second he has her turned around and facing the counter. Hand in her hair and she lets out the most provocative purr he’s ever heard in his  _ life _ . She sticks out her ass, almost begging him to rip her skirt out of the way and pull her panties down. 

  
  


Which he does. 

  
  


A small grunt leaves his lips as she fervently circles her ass into him. He has to still her in order to pull his shorts down and take his already rock-hard cock from his boxers. He gives it a few experimental pumps before sheathing himself inside her—to the hilt. Sakura’s back arches in the most delicious way and he wastes no time in pounding viciously into her. 

  
  


His hand finds her hair again while the other remains at her hip. Watching her back up into his cock like a bitch in heat and he can’t help the small smirk that tugs at his lips. Left to wonder if Yamato could make her scream like this. 

  
  


“Couldn’t wait, huh?” he grunts with another snap. 

  
  


“Oh, shut up.” 

  
  


Her reply has him chuckle to himself as he feels her suddenly push him off and turn around. He shoots her a look of surprise before she ushers him onto the tile floor of her kitchen and he gasps when she mounts him. 

  
  


She sinks onto his cock and effortlessly begins to bounce herself up and down. He can barely contain the mesmerized look on his face as does nothing but lie back and watch her. Noticing that she still has her shirt on, he props himself up on one arm and uses the other to hike up her shirt. She gets the message and pulls it off, along with the sports bra underneath to reveal her perfect little breasts. 

  
  


He buries his face in between them and licks all around until he reaches a nipple—latching on to bite and suck. His other hand is wrapped around her waist as she holds onto his head to continue with her rhythm. She holds him against her breast and flicks her hips almost obsessively with her head shot up towards the ceiling. 

  
  


“Oh my god.” she keeps saying over and  _ over  _ and it only makes him want to fuck her harder. Make her know that it’s him and only him who can make her feel like this. He pulls himself from her nipple and snakes a hand to her hair. And he pulls— _ hard.  _

  
  


“Oh,  _ fuck!”  _ she cries as he drives a particularly hard thrust into her. “Fuck me,” she babbles and he growls into her neck, “fuck me hard,  _ please.”  _

  
  


“Yeah?” he challenges and smirks into her skin as she whines into the air. “You want it hard?” 

  
  


“Yes.” 

  
  


“You like it when I fuck you hard?” 

  
  


_ “Yes,  _ fuck yes!” 

  
  


Kakashi takes a moment to think over their position and clicks his tongue. “Well,” he says as he lets her hair go, “we can’t have you like this then.” 

  
  


And in an instant he’s carrying her to the living room adjacent to the kitchen. She squeals in delight when he flips her onto the couch and mounts her from behind once more. Fucking her with a newfownd fervor even  _ he’s  _ unfamiliar with. He knows he likes control but the possessiveness he feels for her goes way beyond what he’s experienced with any other women. And it shows in the way he fucks her like it’s the last time he ever will. The way his fingers dig into her skin and the way his chest constricts with every  _ yes  _ that escapes her mouth. 

  
  


He can’t keep it in any longer. Not when he feels her walls begin to tighten around him and he realizes he’s given himself a damn headache at how hard he’s been grinding his teeth. His cock continues to slam deep into her cunt and every stroke leaves him breathless with pleasure. It’s not long until after she comes that he pulls himself out and empties himself onto her ass. 

  
  


He allows his breathing to steady as the last bits of his spend empty onto the pale globes of her asscheeks. He hears her hum into the pillow she has her face buried in, swaying her ass in the most tantalizing way and all he can do is smile stupidly. “Can you, uh—“ 

  
  


“Oh, right.” he says quickly and steps off the couch to grab his boxers and shorts off the kitchen floor. He grabs a paper towel and wets it to bring it back and help clean her up. She turns to face him—completely naked and with a sly smile on her face. 

  
  


She lifts her head to give him a small peck on the lips. It’s short-lived and he’s all but begging for the feel of her lips again before she leans her head back onto the pillow, a questioning look on her face. 

  
  


“What did you mean by, um…” she trails off and he tilts his head, noticing the blush on her cheeks. She takes a small breath, as if she’s righting herself, “when you said ‘whatever you need?’” 

  
  


Kakashi shakes his head in confusion. “Huh?”

  
  


“Earlier. When I said I needed your help and you said ‘of course’ and ‘whatever I needed’.” 

  
  


“Well—” he says and wrinkles his brow before shrugging his shoulders—not exactly catching her meaning. “I mean...I guess I just—I don’t know,” he says with a bit of a nervous laugh and runs a hand through his hair, “I just...would, you know? Do whatever you need.” 

  
  


“Because…” she says as she works her lips, “that’s what neighbors are for.” 

  
  


He laughs again and nods his head, thinking she’s joking. “Sure, if that’s what you want to call it.” 

  
  


“Well, yeah.” she says and it’s then that he feels his face drop slightly. “Because that’s what we are—“ she states. “Neighbors.” 

  
  


There’s a pause. A rather...uncomfortable pause as he’s left with no other choice but remain trapped by her doe-eyed stare. Though it’s not filled with that heat in which he’s familiar. It’s different. And it makes him feel almost...angry. And it’s confusing to him.

  
  


“We’re neighbors.” he repeats through gritted teeth and she nods her head. “Who fuck.” 

  
  


The way he says  _ fuck  _ makes her wince, he notices, but she nods her head once more. “Yes.” she reiterates and maintains their stand off. “I guess I just... wanted to establish that.” she says as her finger trails down his chest. 

  
  


A rather...bitter laugh escapes his lips and he looks away with a small smile. Though he knows that  _ she  _ knows it’s not a happy one, given how her hand falls from his chest. And it takes a few moments before he looks at her again that he can sense her sudden nervousness. He knows he’s got this odd look on his face. And he shoots her that same smirk but can’t deny the bitterness in his eyes as he stares directly into hers. 

  
  


_ So much for that.  _

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That 'they're both dumb' tag? Yeah. It's evident in this chapter. 
> 
> Anyway, please drop a comment! They fuel me and keep me coming back!
> 
> Edit: So I’ve been made aware of a continuity error which I’m so so so sorry about. Sakura is originally thought to have only had sex with one person but then I throw in this one night stand with Yamato. I’m gonna keep it but change the dialogue between her and Kakashi in that one chapter. Again, I’m so sorry for the error on my part! 


	8. revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi and Sakura run into each other out in the field.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took almost a month to get out! Kept hitting some snags but hope you all enjoy this installment!

She feels sick—though she’s unsure why exactly. The look on his face when she had unveiled...well at least what she  _ thought  _ they felt for one another. Which is that they’re neighbors with benefits. That’s it. 

  
  


But he made this... _ weird  _ face once the words actually left her mouth. A face that she was  _ not _ expecting. 

  
  


It honestly made her feel like she’d gotten it all wrong. 

  
  


But it’s neither here nor there. She can’t bring herself to think about it because even if Kakashi is, in fact, looking for something more; she isn’t. Which is true. 

  
  


She thinks. 

  
  


A heavy sigh escapes her lips as she finishes her dinner at the nurse’s station. The emergency room is abnormally slow for a Friday night. And it’s also a full moon. Which she’s not  _ completely  _ flippant of superstitions to know that the saying holds some merit. That they do, in fact, see an uptick of patients on such evenings. 

  
  


“Hey.” she hears from her periphery and turns her head upward. Yui is leaning over the edge of the desk with a soft smile on her face. “It’s a little slow. Want to get out and go with the ambulances?” 

  
  


Sakura’s face lifts somewhat and she nods her head. “Sure. Beats being here.” 

  
  


Yui nods her head. “My thoughts exactly.” 

  
  


A sigh that’s laced with boredom escapes her lips as she lifts herself from the chair she has been sitting in for the last hour. Yui gladly takes her spot and grabs for a magazine before propping her feet up. Sakura laughs softly to herself and grabs her bag before waltzing down the hall and towards the ambulance bay. 

  
  


Her thoughts drift back to Kakashi as she begins her short journey. Whether she should have just kept her mouth shut. If what she said is something she firmly believes in herself. It doesn’t feel right in her bones, she soon realized. But it doesn’t erase the fact that it continues to be an ongoing struggle—internally. What is it she really feels—not hide behind the facade of what she  _ wants _ to feel. Which is that they’re in a no strings attached relationship. 

  
  


Whether that’s what she wants? It remains to be seen. 

  
  


When she enters the ambulance bay she finds herself puttering around—unsure of what to do as she places her things in an opened locker. She runs a hand through her hair as she looks around, the ambulance in the middle of the bay remaining bored and motionless. 

  
  


It’s shifts like these that make her regret switching to nights this particular week. One—she can’t lend Kakashi a hand if he needs it, though she already informed him of that. Two—nights are just always hit or miss. Either you’re on or you’re not and this particular evening was shaping up to be the latter. 

  
  


Until another female nurse and EMT run up to her, causing her to turn abruptly in their direction. She wrinkles her brow as they approach her, “You free to go with us?” the female nurse asks. 

  
  


“Huh? Go where?” 

  
  


“There was a huge drug bust downtown. SWAT was called in but the area is secure now.” 

  
  


Sakura nods her head in understanding. This won’t be her first time visiting a drug bust and she can already feel her blood pumping in excitement. “Do we know if there are any casualties?” 

  
  


The nurse shook her head. “Didn’t seem like it. Nothing fatal, at least.” 

  
  


She lets out a measured breath and nods her head once more. Following her to the back of the van she breezes past the EMT who gets in the driver's seat of the van. 

  
  


As she climbs into the back she eagerly straps herself in, looking towards the other nurse who has this strange look on her face. Especially when her eyes settle on Sakura’s restless legs. She supposes she could tell her she’s just excited to be getting out. To do really  _ anything  _ on what was shaping out to be a boring Friday night. 

  
  


She ultimately decides against it and sits in silence. The sounds of the siren overhead filling her ears. 

* * *

  
  


“Can we give the all clear already?” 

  
  


Kakashi sighs and nods his head as he gives the all clear into the speaker attached to his shoulder. “Call the ambulance.” 

  
  


He walks to the van along with Genma, unbuckling his helmet as he does so. He hands off his rifle to one of the men in the back of the van and takes a seat on the rear. Genma sits down next to him just as Kakashi lets out a long,  _ tired  _ sigh. 

  
  


“You wanna hit that diner in town after we get back to the precinct?” 

  
  


“Maybe.” he responds absentmindedly and Genma huffs an annoyed grunt. 

  
  


“Man, come on. You got that girl waiting at home again?” 

  
  


“Not tonight.” 

  
  


“Then let’s get some breakfast—I’m starving.” 

  
  


“Aren’t you tired?” 

  
  


“Surprisingly, no.” Genma says as he leaps off from the back of the van, “I’m actually pretty wired right now,” and looks off into the night. 

  
  


Kakashi rubs a hand over his eyes. “Well, I can’t say the same.” he says just as he lets out another long yawn. 

  
  


“Dude, we just raided a drug house—how are you this tired?” 

  
  


He shakes his head and decides to not answer. All he really wants to do is see the ambulance off, get back to the precinct, unpack and get home as quickly as humanly possible. He doesn’t want to be around anyone. He doesn’t want to  _ pretend  _ he wants to be around anyone. He just wants to crash into his bed and be alone with his dogs. 

  
  


Perhaps in the company of someone else...but it’s not worth stressing over in his already raddled mind. 

  
  


It’s not that things are bad with Sakura. They’re actually quite good. From the outside looking in, he supposes. He thought that maybe there was the potential to start something—when he had her pinned below him. But then his hopes for more were shattered when she unveiled the nature of their relationship. That, at least to her, they were nothing more than what he feared they might be—a sort of ‘neighbors with benefits’—though the phrase makes him cringe. 

  
  


“Suit yourself.” he hears off in the distance as Genma hops up and back into the van. The lights and sound of the ambulance catch his attention as a few other officers fill the van. Kakashi hops off and shuts the back, slapping his hand against it just before it pulls away. He lets out a sigh and looks to his left at the suspect still cuffed on the sidewalk with two officers flanked at his sides. 

  
  


His ears ring at the familiar sound as the truck is put into park and two people jump out the back. He feels his mouth open to speak and give them the rundown but words run dry when his eyes settle on a head full of pink as it leaps out the back and lands on the pavement.

  
  


His throat closes and he is sure he’s had an aneurysm when she turns and her own eyes land on his. She’s dressed in scrubs, because of course she is. And the sick part of his mind is already commanding his eyes to run along the length of her body because for  _ some reason  _ she still manages to look sexy even in those. 

  
  


Her green eyes widen in surprise and her mouth hangs open—mirroring his. They both continue to walk towards one another, slowly so, almost as if they’re trying to render the images of themselves in their minds. 

  
  


When they find themselves in front of one another it’s like they’re strangers. And he doesn’t like it. Not one bit. She bites her lips and his nostrils flare at the sight of her looking up and down his uniformed body. Just as he had with her. He can sense a heat between them, even though they haven’t yet uttered a single word to one another. 

  
  


“Sakura Haruno.” she suddenly says and offers her hand. He looks down in confusion and back up at her, not missing how her head tilts just the slightest. And there’s this look in her eyes—a sort of twinkle that assures him that, yes, she knows  _ exactly  _ who he is and,  _ yes,  _ she would like for him to play along with whatever charade she has cooked up for them. 

  
  


A small smirk spreads across his face as he extends his hand to grasp hers. He relishes in the warmth, if only for a moment, before opening his mouth to say, “Kakashi Hatake. I’m the officer in charge.” 

  
  


He can see the small grin she’s trying to hold back by pursing her lips. “Alright.” she breathes and begins to look around the crime scene. “So what’s the situation here?”

  
  


Kakashi goes on a small spiel about their operation—something he doesn’t necessarily  _ need  _ to tell her in detail but for the sake of this little game of theirs he figures it’ll play in his favor. He notices how her eyes widen at parts of his impressive story and settle on one of the suspects on the sidewalk who gave them a bit of trouble. A bullet skimmed his arm and he’s still in pain, it seems. 

  
  


He watches as Sakura kneels down to his level. The man pays no mind and allows her to wrap his wound with fresh gauze. She performs a few checks to make sure he’s not concussed in any way from being knocked down to the ground. They already checked to make sure he didn’t have any bumps or bruises but her check confirms it. 

  
  


“I think he’ll live.” she says with a small laugh and the officers standing behind him lift him to take him to the police cruiser. 

  
  


Sakura turns to face him and his breath is nearly knocked from his chest. The look in her eyes is that of an insatiable need. A need that he knows only he can fulfill. And it’s then that he’s looking left and right and wracking his brain for just _how_ they’re going to make this work because this stranger fantasy that she’s cooked up is _doing things_ to him and he needs to fuck her. 

  
  


And fast. 

  
  


“I have a few minutes before we head back to the hospital.” 

  
  


_ A few minutes is all I need,  _ is what he refrains to say as he just nods his head slowly—trying to think of some place they can go while remaining discrete. He can tell that she senses his unease and shoots him another coy smile. “When do you get off, officer?” she asks and he can’t ignore the shiver of excitement that makes his balls clench. 

  
  


“Right after this.” 

  
  


Her eyes sparkle at his answer and she sways in that innocent way that he knows is anything  _ but.  _ “Well…” she begins to say as she takes a step forward, eyes fluttering to his, “would you say you need a check up, officer?” 

  
  


He tries his best to keep his stupid grin at bay. Ultimately he succeeds but it doesn’t stop the fervent nodding of his head. She shoots him a wry smile with a sort of  _ come hither  _ look that he doesn’t miss as she walks back to the ambulance. 

  
  


She looks around and he does as well, taking in the scene and finding the others are still out and busying themselves with work. She doesn’t seem concerned so he does his best to do away with his budding nerves as well. 

  
  


Sakura opens the back of the van and ushers him in, watching as she closes and locks it behind them. He’s still unsure how to act. Unsure if they’re still playing into this charade. But when she turns and gives him this  _ look— _ this look that tells him she only has this confidence because of him. That he has brought this out of her. 

  
  


He can’t contain what it does to him. 

  
  


So it comes as no surprise when they just lunge at one another. An amalgamation of carnal energy and passion as he feels her clutch and claw at his vest. 

  
  


He knows they don’t have much time. Not with the fervent shedding of whatever she needs to have their bodies as close to one another as possible without being entirely naked. Their mouth fuse in an open mouthed kiss filled with pent up aggression and lust as he hoists her onto the gurney attached to the wall of the van.

  
  


Lifting her shirt, he tosses it over her head and wrenches down her bra cup to pinch her nipple, earning a pleased  _ yes  _ to escape her lips. He smiles against her mouth as she works her hands between them—undoing his pants to the best of her ability. 

  
  


When she reaches in to grasp his length he hisses in delight. Her thumb swipes over his tip and she pumps her fist a few times, earning a pleased grunt from him. And it’s the moment that she takes his bottom lip between her teeth that he grabs her hips and pulls her to him. 

  
  


The feel of him against her has both of them moan in delight and he can hardly contain himself when he rips her pants down and kicks them to the side with his boot. 

  
  


“Is this part of the check-up, ma’am?” he grounds out against her mouth and she laughs slightly. 

  
  


“Oh yes.” she breathes as fits his cock at her opening. “Would hate if certain,” she says as she wiggles her hips, “attributes of yours didn’t work.” 

  
  


“Well,” he says with a chuckle and angles his hips, “I can assure you that,” he continues as he begins to sink into her, “that’s  _ not,”  _ another push, “the case.” he groans as he buries himself fully into her. 

  
  


Her head falls back and he wastes no time fusing his mouth to her neck. He licks and bites and sucks as he snaps his hips continuously. 

  
  


She breathes an  _ oh my god  _ as she clutches at the back of his shirt. He can’t help but growl into her neck and snap his hips harder. Drive his cock  _ deeper.  _ Make the yelps more frequent and her moans even louder. 

  
  


Another surprised gasp escapes her throat when he pulls out and quickly repositions her so she’s turned around with her front laid out across the gurney. He wastes no time fitting himself back inside her with his hand in her hair and the other at her waist. His hips snap with a ferocity and she holds onto the gurney with a death grip. 

  
  


“Don’t you fucking let go.” he growls as he continues to pound into her. His strokes deep with every push and he realizes he has her back bent so far he can see her mouth hung open if he leans over  _ just  _ enough. 

  
  


“ _ Fuck—“  _ he curses into her hair as his hand travels from her hair to her neck, “I would,” he breathes and feels her ass lift just the slightest so he can hit deeper, “live in this soft cunt,” and  _ squeeze  _ her neck, “fucking  _ forever  _ if I could.” 

  
  


Her hands slam against the wall—palms flat with her neck extended and back arched. He can’t quite believe he’s fucking his  _ neighbor _ in the back of an ambulance. Can’t quite believe that they’re even getting away with _ any  _ of this. But with every slap of his hips and every moan he hears from her the details slip away and all he can focus on is  _ filling. her. up.  _

  
  


He devolves into a series of curses and grunts as he feels his cock twitch and release his warm spend into her. And in that moment he feels her walls clamp down which only causes him to orgasm harder. He’s unsure what possesses him to do it but his index and middle finger float to her mouth which she immediately takes in—feeling her tongue swirl and suck as she rocks her ass against his crotch. 

  
  


His breath is still heavy when he pulls out, both of his hands now at her hips before he urges her to turn and face him. When she does he’s met with an impish grin that he can’t help but mirror. 

  
  


“Hi.” she breathes softly and with a small laugh. 

  
  


He laughs as well and bends to give her a soft kiss. “Hi.” 

  
  


She bites her lip with an awkward sort of smile on her face as her breathing steadies. “So…” 

  
  


“So…”

  
  


A full on goofy grin spreads across her mouth and she holds her face to keep her blushing cheeks at bay—though he wishes she wouldn’t. “Well.” she breathes and he tilts his head somewhat. “I guess I know that mysterious job of yours now.” 

  
  


He frowns at that, which she notices and slaps a hand to his chest. “Don’t give me that look! It’s not like you were upfront about it.” 

  
  


He shrugs his shoulders and bends to grab his vest from the ground. “I guess it didn’t seem important.” 

  
  


“Didn’t seem important to tell me you’re in SWAT?” 

  
  


She has this stunned look on her face that he can really only laugh at, to which she responds by slapping his chest again before bending down to grab her discarded clothes. His laugh fades and he looks down at her nervously, watching her carefully as she puts on her clothes and finally goes to open the doors. He reaches his hand out to her arm and she looks behind her to fix him a confused look. 

  
  


“Is that it? You seem upset.” 

  
  


She wrinkles her brow and shakes her head. “I’m not upset.” she responds in a genuine way and turns to face him completely. She leans forward to lock her lips with his in a deep but reassuring kiss. “That was fun.” she breathes against his mouth and tugs at the vest which he put back on. “I’ve always had a thing for men in uniform.” 

  
  


He can’t help but laugh as she turns back to open the doors. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” 

  
  


“Oh hush.” she calls back as the two leap out from the back of the ambulance. 

  
  


Just as they circle back to the front of the van the driver and another nurse walk towards them. “I think everyone is accounted for.” the other female nurse notes and Sakura nods her head. 

  
  


“Great. We good to head back?” 

  
  


“Yup.” she responds quickly as she walks passed towards the back of the ambulance. 

  
  


She turns to Kakashi and shoots him a flirtatious stare. “Well, officer,” she says in a breathy tone, “I think I’ve treated you to the best of my ability.” 

  
  


He smirks at how she can flip the switch so quickly and nods his head in agreement. “Agreed, ma’am. You’ve left me…” he says and takes a breath, “very satisfied.” 

  
  


She covers her mouth and lets out a laugh. He can see the blush creeping across her cheeks once more which only makes him want to embrace her. He ultimately decides against it, remembering what it is ‘this’ is and instead allows her to turn away and head back to the van.

  
  


All he can do is watch as he stands in the street—listening to the sound of the ambulance as its engine is brought to life. It circles around him and he turns, allowing his eyes to follow as it drives down the street. 

  
  


The cat’s out of the bag. She knows. He knows she knows. Not that it was ever a big deal to begin with. But her finding out was...nothing like he ever imagined. 

  
  


It was better, in fact. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to leave a comment before you go! I love reading through each and every one.


	9. a little wicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things seem different. And not in a good way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow wow wow—okay. It's been almost two whole months since I updated this bad boy. Honestly, I felt SO EMBARRASSED for making a teeny tiny flaw in plot that I just wanted to hide. It sounds stupid, but it's true. I take a lot of pride in story-telling and when I find something isn't adding up or contradicts something it just seems sloppy. So for that, I apologize. And I also apologize for the brief hiatus. But I'm BACK for more DRAAAAMAAAA so here goes!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this 'halloween pt.1' chapter ;)

Confident.

Not a word Sakura would use to describe herself. At least, not in recent years. Not after years of being with the same, dull, she could even say  _ mundane  _ relationship with...she can’t even bring herself to say his name anymore. Whether it’s because she begs to forget or can’t bring herself to care—it hardly matters. 

Because as of late...confidence seems to surge through her with every stride in her step. 

Her hair has been cut to just above her shoulders and falls in loose waves which bounce freely. Cat-eye sunglasses cover the liner which mirror her shades and a smirk tugs at her pink lips. This feeling is not something she’s exactly used to, and not because she’s ever  _ denied  _ she was pretty but still…

Confidence looks good on her. 

She turns left and uses her forearm to push open the door to the cafe, peeling off her sunglasses to throw a wink to Ino who’s sitting at the far end at an open table. Ino’s eyes widen for a second but a satisfied look soon replaces it as Sakura walks closer. 

Ino is still rendered somewhat speechless as she takes a seat and all Sakura can do is blink and ask, “What?” 

Her friend scoffs and shakes her head, as if trying to find the appropriate adjective to describe how she feels but it comes out in garbled and unrecognizable gibberish, which Sakura can only laugh at. It takes Ino a brief pause and some inward reflection to finally say—

“You look nice.” 

Sakura forces a smile. “Thanks.” 

“What, uh…” Ino stutters as she looks Sakura up and down, “inspired this?” 

“You don’t approve?”

“Oh, I approve.” she corrects and shifts in her seat slightly, “I’m just surprised, is all. You look so…” she pauses again to take another once over, “not...you?” she says carefully. 

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You’re insinuating it.” 

“I said ‘I approve’ not two seconds ago.”

Sakura zips her lip at that and nods her head, flipping her hair in an unconscious though uncharacteristic move. She stares down at the chai Ino ordered for her, focusing on the little leaf embedded in the foam, almost as if she’s willing her eyes to dismantle it. She hears Ino cough and looks up to find an expectant look on her face. 

“Oh—sorry.” she says and takes a quick sip of her chai, suddenly remembering why it was she invited Ino for coffee after freezing her out for weeks. “He’s SWAT.” 

Ino almost chokes at that. “He is not.” 

Sakura can only nod in a sort-of guilty way. “Yeah.” 

“That’s...I don’t know what that is.”

“It’s...interesting.” Sakura offers and Ino tilts her head. 

“Interesting?”

A beat of silence passes between them as Sakura decides whether she wants to spill or not. Ultimately deciding that, yes, she does and quite easily says, “We fucked in the ambulance.” 

Ino laughs and sips her coffee. “Very funny.”

“I’m serious.” 

“No, you’re not. Because that shit only flies in movies.” 

“Well, then my life must be a damn fairytale.” 

Ino pauses for a moment and just stares, which Sakura meets dead on and after a few moments exhales a long breath. “Who  _ are  _ you?” 

Sakura wrinkles her brow in slight disapproval. “What do you mean?”

“This.” Ino gestures as she points to her new hair, makeup and attire that’s mostly black with a splash of pink underneath her leather jacket. “I mean, not to say you don’t look great it’s just…” 

“It makes me feel good.” Sakura quips and doesn’t miss Ino’s eyes widening slightly. 

“Well…” she says with a small sigh. “Can’t argue with that.” 

Another sip of coffee and they’re back to sitting in a tense silence. Sakura eyes flit towards the storefront as the normal Wednesday crowd filters into the shop. Wednesdays are her days off so she’s picked up on these things. And she’s visited this shop so often that the baristas already know her order—a medium breve chai latte.

“So…” she hears Ino say and her gaze focuses back. “How are you and Kakashi?” 

“Me and Kakashi?”

“Yeah. Like, your relationship.”

“Oh.” she says with a slight wrinkle of her brow. “I mean, we don’t really have one. We’ve established that.”

Ino raises a surprised brow. “You have?” she asks and Sakura nods her head. 

“It’s easier that way. We have busy lives and…” she pauses. And a small tinge of emotion flows through her as she steels herself to say, “it’s what’s best for both of us.” 

It occurs to her that this feels like a lie. And Ino only nods her head with the same amount of confidence that Sakura had delivered that statement. 

“So what? Did you guys run into each other or something? I guess that’s not so far-fetched…” 

“I guess not.” Sakura says in agreement as she leans back in her chair. “I was in emergency and got dispatched with the ambulance to a drug house.” 

“And he was there on that same job?” 

“Mhmm.” 

“And you just...what—decided to fuck in an ambulance?” 

Sakura can’t do much other than silently agree and take another sip of her latte. It wasn’t exactly her most shining moment, and if she were honest the sex could have been better—but it’s not as if she blames Kakashi  _ at all.  _ And she’d be lying to herself if the past few encounters with him haven’t spurred something...different inside her. 

It’s as if she’s finally awake. As if she’s finally  _ won.  _ At what, she’s not sure. But she wants to relish in the feel of it all while she can. 

The phone in her pocket suddenly feels heavy as thoughts of Kakashi flood her mind. Thoughts of if she were to pay him a ‘visit’ at the precinct on her day off. It sounds good for the split second it enters her mind but she ultimately decides against it and is about to ask Ino how she’s been before she hears her let out a cough. 

“Was his, uh—” she stammers and a small blush forms across her cheeks, “friend with him?”

Sakura blinks. “You mean, Genma?”

She nods her head and Sakura shrugs her shoulders. “He may have been. I didn’t see though.” 

“Ah.” Ino responds, a hint of disappointment in her voice as she lowers her gaze to the table. 

She searches her brain for a brief moment. Thinking back to—at least Sakura’s last recollection of Genma and Ino’s last interaction—and a thought enters her mind. “It’s halloween weekend, isn’t it?” Sakura surmises and a small, slightly wicked grin spreads past Ino’s face. 

A brief silence blankets the table and she can’t help but feel Ino’s thinking the same. The two both throw one another a cheeky sort of smile and Sakura bites her lip. 

“Party?” the two say in unison before divulging in a fit of giggles. 

* * *

  
  
**_Sakura: Halloween party at my place. Saturday 8pm_ **

Kakashi’s read the text more than a dozen times. And it doesn’t help his head fog with confusion and a mild amount of trepidation with every swipe of his gaze along the words. It’s not that he doesn’t want to go...because he does. It’s just…

Well, to put it in plain terms, he’s a 42 year old man. 

There. He’s admitted it for the few times he’s allowed to per day. He’s a man in his early-forties who really has no business going to parties of any kind. At the same time—he really doesn’t have any business screwing his neighbor nurse in the back of an ambulance, does he? Yet that’s how the cookie crumbles, it seems. 

Though he has to keep reminding himself that Sakura is a professional. A woman who owns her own house and has a steady job. A woman, not a girl, who wants to throw a halloween party and invite  _ him  _ of all people. 

And he’d be a fool to ponder  _ why?  _ Why exactly has she invited him because the reason is quite obvious. He read the words ‘halloween party’ and already his mind has begun to bombard him with images of whatever  _ ridiculous  _ outfit he can make up that has a heat brewing inside of him. 

He places his phone aside, for now. Because he can’t possibly be faced with responding to her. Not yet. Not when he wants to make an informed decision rather than blindly say yes and potentially walk into what he can only imagine as a throwback college party. 

Though it’s not as if he hasn’t found himself in that situation before…

Kakashi groans and rubs his eyes as he leans back in the chair. He’s on call at the station, waiting for the go-ahead on this drug bust that just doesn’t seem to want to happen. Genma sits across from him while continuing to play some insipid game on his phone. 

“Tired, Chief?” Genma asks in a slightly mocking tone and Kakashi can’t help the yawn that follows, thus answering his question. Another boring beat of silence passes between them before Genma lets out a weary sigh. “Any plans this weekend?” 

He would lie, though he’s too tired too, and the brief pause causes Genma to perk up—which Kakashi immediately regrets. He can tell Genma can sense his nervousness. And Genma’s not an idiot. Far from it, really. And Kakashi can already feel himself start to break into a sweat. 

Genma goes back to his game with a small smirk on his face. “You know...it’s halloween weekend this weekend.” 

“I’m aware.” 

“And you’ve got a ‘friend’,” he says sarcastically while Kakashi rolls his eyes, “who is known to throw parties.”

“And we’re both in our forties, need I remind you.” 

“Since when has that stopped either of us?” Genma quips and Kakashi can’t help but snort. Another pause passes between them and Kakashi catches him gazing up from his phone. “So you do have plans.”

“I didn’t say that.” 

“You have...potential plans.”

Kakashi closes his eyes and exhales through his nose. “...Potentially.” 

Genma sets his phone down as a cheshire cat grin spreads across his face. “Great. I’m in.” 

“I didn’t say you’re invited.” Kakashi points incredulously and Genma waves his hand, dismissing him. 

“Kakashi, if Sakura invited you, which she did—it means Ino will be there. And if Ino is there, then I will  _ for sure  _ be getting what I sorely missed out on at her last party.” 

Kakashi has to steel himself for a moment and close his eyes, take a few deep breaths before meeting Genma’s cocky grin. In truth, it may pose beneficial to have a friend in what could be an otherwise awkward situation. A man in his forties going to a halloween party. 

He’s decided he won’t dress up. It’s just out of the question. Unless he shows up in uniform which others have been known to do. Still...just—no. Absolutely not. 

“So…?” he hears Genma nag after a few more silent moments and Kakashi lets out an exasperated sigh—a ‘yes’. 

Genma clasps his hands together and smiles in silent victory while all Kakashi can do is shake his head. He watches as Genma turns inward and back to his phone, allowing Kakashi to lean back in his chair once more and reflect himself. 

It’s not just his age that’s holding him back. And if he’s honest, it’s the least of his worries. It’s that Sakura has been...different since he first met her. The person he first met, the almost timid and unbearably charming woman—wasn’t completely different but different enough. Not enough for him to reconsider, but…

He cracks an eye open and brings up the message she sent earlier in the day.

**_I’ll be there._ **

* * *

“Don’t you think this is a bit out of the question?” 

Sakura gives herself another onceover and for what feels like the millionth time—she’s second guessing. The confidence she felt earlier and over the past few weeks has suddenly vanished, now realizing that yes, she’s throwing this party and  _ yes,  _ she’s wearing  _ this  _ outfit. 

“Maybe. But no doubt he’ll feel some type of way about it.” 

Sakura tugs at her shorts, the leather pinching her skin somewhat and she wrinkles her nose at the cleavage threatening to burst out of her shirt. “This just seems like something you would wear.” 

“Yeah but I don’t know that my boyfriend is in SWAT.”

Sakura groans, though she can’t ignore the small tug in her heart that enjoys the sound of it. “He’s not my boyfriend.” she mumbles.

“Whatever.” Ino says flippantly and gazes in the mirror with her. “Sakura,” she says to get her attention and she shifts her gaze, “this is a total power move. Meaning, you’re going to have him wrapped around your finger tonight.” 

Sakura frowns at that. It sounds nice. Having a man wrapped around her finger. At the same time, she wonders if she even has a right given the boundaries she put on their relationship. And the realization makes her stomach churn—but not in a good way. 

Ino seems to notice her apprehension and puts a hand on her hip. “What’s your issue? I thought you wanted this.”

Sakura closes her eyes, willing herself to believe that she does want this. Because in the end she does. She wants to see Kakashi. She wants him to see her like  _ this.  _ Wants him to want her, just as he has. 

She opens her eyes and smiles. “I do. I do want this.”

“Alright.” she hears Ino quip as she checks her own outfit—a cowgirl of sorts which is even more revealing than Sakura’s. Though she expects nothing less. “People will be flooding this house soon.” 

Sakura’s eyes widen and she turns to give Ino a frantic look. “I forgot to—”

Ino holds up her hand. “Everything is set up. Drinks, snacks, decorations.” 

She lets out a relieved breath and nods her head before turning to look at herself once more. Hair down in loose curls. Breasts hugged together. Long legs on display. She almost doesn’t recognize herself. 

A drink. She tells herself she just needs a drink. 

Then she’ll feel like she’s on top again. 

* * *

  
  


Goosebumps cover his skin as Kakashi sits outside his stoop, eyes darting to his right at the multitudes of cars already outside of her house. It looks like any old party, really. He can hear music, though it’s a tad bit louder compared to the one she threw a month ago. 

Sorry, the one  _ Ino  _ threw. 

But this feels different. He doesn’t feel the elation or excitement he felt when he was in this situation previously. Doesn’t feel impatience to burst through her door and seek her out. Drink in what felt like a hunt whenever he was around her. It was fun. It was exciting. 

Only now he’s a bundle of nerves. Her words from that day circling his mind any chance it gets and he wishes it would  _ just stop.  _ He wants her.  _ God  _ he wants her but does she want him in the same way? Or does she only want him in the ‘fuck like your life depends on it’, ‘in the back of an ambulance’ kind of way? 

He finds he wants neither of those. 

The door to his home opens and reveals Genma on the other side, costume-less like they had agreed and he throws him a look. “Someone doesn’t look happy.” he teases as Kakashi lifts himself up. “I knew we should’ve gone with matching costumes.” 

Kakashi throws him a look instead of gracing him with a response and instead stuffs his hands in his pockets. The two walk as a pair to the house and Kakashi feels his heart beat grow faster with every step. He feels like a teenager again. Stupid and uncertain in his decisions but it’s too late now. 

Once more unto the breach and they find themselves at her front door. Laughter can be heard as well as the bass from the music as Genma helps himself to open the door. And when Kakashi looks down the hall he all but freezes at the sight. 

Because when his eyes land on her he can’t help but wish for his death right then and there. Because he  _ knows  _ she’s done this on purpose—he  _ knows  _ she has. Dressed in leather shorts that are honestly just  _ too short  _ and a shirt that covers her arms but that’s about all it can manage. The Sakura he’s observing has made him break out into a sweat at the bit of ass-cheek he can see peering out from her too-short shorts. The cleavage she’s left exposed and the sunglasses that hide her eyes. Her hair is shorter than he remembers and bounces atop her shoulders with every step she takes while greeting her guests. 

Like the vixen she is. 

And when she turns his direction and he fears her eyes land on hers, she immediately pulls off her sunglasses to expose her heated gaze. Growing more hot at the sight of him and for a second she throws him an unsatisfied look. He glances behind him to find Genma is long gone and turns back to find Sakura strutting towards him. 

He gulps—hard. Trying not to get swept in the way her long legs glide and the SWAT logo so obviously pasted across her covered breast. She approaches him and throws a pout. 

“You’re not dressed.” 

Kakashi exhales and shrugs his shoulders helplessly. “Couldn’t come up with anything. Besides,” he says and wraps his arms around her waist, “I only came to see you.” 

He watches her eyes flutter somewhat and she backs away, motioning down at her outfit. “You like?” 

“Like would be putting it delicately.” 

She pouts again, her pink bottom lip pushing out slightly and it makes him want to bite it. “Well, dont.” she says as he feels her hand snake up his thigh and cup his already-budding erection. “Tell me,” she squeezes softly, “ _ exactly,”  _ and tugs, “how you like it.” 

“Sakura.” he groans, almost like a warning as he turns and pushes her against the hallway wall. More so he can rest his forehead against it while she continues with her ministrations. Teasing and rubbing against him.

She suddenly stops as they both hear the front door open—glancing over to find none other than  _ Yamato  _ timidly standing on the other end. To Kakashi’s disappointment, Sakura is already halfway towards the door with her arms outstretched. He hates to admit it but the small tinge of jealousy pulling at his stomach is back. Telling him that Sakura is his and only his. Even if rational says otherwise. 

She’s really not. And they’ve established that. But tonight…

Fuck rational. 

Rational goes out the fucking window when Yamato embraces her. When his arms circle around and his hands squeeze her waist. When they pull away and her hand remains on his chest. The smile she gives him. It all builds and contributes to the scowl on his face, but he’s quick to make it disappear once she turns and turns her attention back to him. He doesn’t want to, but he gives Yamato a curt nod, which he returns with a more kind smile that makes Kakashi feel like a dick—if only for a split second. 

When she places herself back in front of him he knows. He knows right in that moment that he can’t wait. And with a firm grip on her arms he guides her towards the stairs. 

“Come with me.” 

* * *

  
  


She can feel her heart race faster with every stair they climb. 

_ “Come with me.”  _

Something wasn’t quite right. She sensed it from the moment he walked in the door. And it made her wonder if he disapproved of her outfit but once she actually spoke with him, it was the opposite entirely. But still, she can’t shake the feeling that something’s different tonight.

Once they reach the top of the landing she’s surprised to find he doesn’t immediately go for her room. 

“Kakashi—” she tries to reach out but his growl interrupts her. Though this time the low grumble resembles that of agitation as he pulls her into the hallway bathroom. He promptly closes the door behind them and shoves her against it, her arms pinned to either side of her as he places himself in front. She can feel his heavy breath, the tenseness of his body as his grip tightens on her arm and she whispers a small and meek, “You’re hurting me.” 

For a split second his gaze softens and he lets up, but the reprieve is no less than a few seconds because his menacing stare returns. She steels herself and returns his same look, wrenching her arm away from him. 

“What’s your deal?” she asks with little confidence and in a whisper, suddenly aware that she sounds like nothing but a teenager and for a second she fears her choice to invite Yamato was a mistake.

But he remains still and just continues to breathe heavily. His jaw clenches and unclenches with every frustrated thought she sees flicker across his dark gaze. She’s about to inch forward and comfort him somewhat because she knows the move she pulled was probably foolish but still—

“I guess it’s foolish of me to think you’re not seeing other people.” 

Her breath stops there. And for a second she fears she’s forgotten to speak because she wants to scream  _ no.  _ She wants to scream  _ no  _ from the top of her lungs and tell him she’s not but something holds her back. The conversation they had when he suspected she and Yamato were once a pair. The whole charade she pulled the night their professions were revealed. How reckless she was. All to prove what? 

She feels like she’s losing now. When earlier she was winning. 

“I’m not…” she manages to whisper and she watches his nostrils flare slightly. “At least, not right now.” 

She doesn’t know why she felt the need to point that out. Maybe to save herself from thinking this can be anything other than what it is now. Even if there were a possibility of him wanting the same. She just…

A sudden gasp escapes her lips when she feels his other hand wrap around her waist, pinning her further beneath him. “Lock the door.” he mutters and she does, though not before throwing him a confused look. 

She meets his fiery gaze. Full of possessiveness and dominance and it makes her eyes want to flutter close at the intense heat she can feel building between their bodies. He inhales a deep breath and smirks wickedly. 

_ “I’m going to ruin you.” _

  
  
  
  



	10. no take backs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura has a change of heart, but can she expect the same of Kakashi?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I'm genuinely so so so sorry that it's been so long guys. I didn't really know where this story was going but I took some time to think about it and after this chapter, I'm at a point where I'm happy. Though, you all may not be, hehehe. Don't worry. We know these two are idiots and something was bound to go down.

_“I’m going to ruin you.”_

She forgets how to breathe.

And for a split second she wonders if this is a good idea. Trapped by him in her bathroom—which is half exhilarating and half terrifying. Exhilarating because the _heat_ she feels building between them is scorching. It makes her head fucking dizzy. She can feel the slick build between her legs and it takes everything in her to not bear down on the knee wedged between her legs. But a shiver of fear runs down her spine at how _predatory_ he is. How legitimately _frustrated_ he seems to be and it’s in that moment when she realizes she doesn’t want it this way and wonders if she’s pushed him too far.

She keeps her gaze forward as he attacks her neck. Nearly rolls her eyes to the back of her head at the feel of his licks and nips at her skin. His knee raises higher and she knows he can feel the heat radiating from her groin and he groans into her neck. His breathing is harsh and ragged and his hands reach for her ass to lift her onto the sink. The buttons of her shirt are fighting against her harsh breath and he growls deep and low as he pops them open with little effort. He buries his face into her chest and her hand immediately grabs for the back of his head—keeping him there as his tongue explores her mounds. 

“Kakashi…” she murmurs as she gently rubs the back of his head. A gesture to perhaps make him stop so they can just…

Talk. Maybe. 

But he doesn’t stop. Instead, she feels her arm being swung behind her back by his hand and the back of her head hits the mirror behind her. She winces slightly and bites her lip to fight a moan when his other hand pulls her bra cup down to lick at her nipple. He says nothing. Doesn’t utter a single thing as he continues to do his work on her body. She doesn’t know whether to tell him to stop. Because she’s not even sure she wants him to. All she knows is that she wants better than this encounter.

She doesn’t want to be perched up on her sink. Doesn’t want a quick fuck. Doesn’t want to walk out of her bathroom afterward with what she’s been denying as shame and longing for more when she could just simply _ask_ for it. 

She wants to get the hell out of here. Wants to go to Kakashi’s. Wants him to lay her down on his bed and _worship_ her like she knows he will. She wants him to fuck her long and slow. With deep strokes and gentle caresses. 

She...she just wants this charade to _end._

And with that final thought she pushes against him once more. And this time she gets his attention. Though now she’s met with confusion as he wipes the side of his mouth with the back of his hand. She’s fully aware of how ridiculous she looks: skirt hiked up and her left tit hanging out of her bra. She realizes she really only has a few seconds and gives herself a moment to straighten her clothes and bring herself to a stand. He continues to say nothing, much to her dismay and instead she grabs his hand. It’s out of nowhere, she knows, and the way he looks down at their hands intertwined makes her wince somewhat. 

“Do you think..” she starts and oh _God_ she really wishes the idea of a quick bathroom fuck never entered her mind but she knows it’s too late and her only real choice is to speak her mind. _Now._

“Do you think…” she repeats and he cocks his head at her, “We could maybe go back to your place?” she says in a near whisper and her heart rate picks up at the _thorough_ look of confusion on his face. 

“Why?” he asks so simply that it throws her. 

“Why?” she responds and he nods his head. 

“Because…” she pauses and looks around the small space, “because I don’t feel like fucking in a bathroom.” 

His brows pinch together. “Why does it matter?” he asks and takes a step back and clarifies, “where we fuck?”

“I don’t know. I just—” she says and lets out a frustrated breath, “I just don’t want a quickie. I don’t want to just fuck in here and be done with it.” she says and grazes her palms along his chest. 

“But you’re okay with fucking in an ambulance. Or on the tile floor. Or against a damn wall.”

She blinks and removes her hands. Okay—he’s _beyond_ frustrated. And if his simplicity didn’t throw her before his ability to deliver deadpan statements left her in sheer awe. 

_“Excuse me?”_ she seethes as she crosses her arms. 

Kakashi lets out a bitter laugh and crosses his arms as well, though he looks away from her and shakes his head slightly. “I just don’t understand where this is coming from.” 

“Why does it matter where it’s coming from? I said I—

“You said we’re just neighbors who _fuck_ , Sakura.” he barks lowly and she jumps at the tone. “Need I remind you.”

She pauses, unsure of what to say and opts to just shrug instead. “I-I know I said that, but—”

“But what?” he asks and she suddenly feels like she’s floundering. She knows she’s being studied under a damn scope and it makes her just want to burst into tears at the confusion and intensity she feels buzzing in her head. “You don’t want that anymore?” 

_No! No, I don’t!_ is what she wants to scream from the top of her lungs but she can’t. All she can do is stand there with this look of shame on her face and what she suspects is hurt on his. She wishes she could burrow down beneath them. Disappear and hide at the shame she feels for backtracking. For knowing deep down that he wanted what she had been hiding all along. 

He didn’t want to be just friends. And she knew that. She knew that and she still insisted on pretending. Because it made her feel good in the few minutes they were together. This entanglement of carnal energy as they fucked wherever and whenever because that’s how this _works._ Feelings be damned. 

But she’s not this emotionless shell that she thought she could be. She _feels._ And what she feels for him terrifies her. 

“I…” she starts, “no. No, I don’t.” 

His nostrils flare and he looks to the side once more. “So what then? What is it you want now?” 

“I don’t know.” she admits. “But I want more than...this.” she gestures between them and their frazzled states.

Kakashi licks his lips and shakes his head. “It doesn’t work like that, Sakura.” 

“Like what?” 

“You say you want this ‘arrangement’ and then decide you don’t. You can’t—” he lets out a frustrated sigh and runs a hand through his hair, “you can’t _do_ that.”

“I know, and I’m _sorry_ I just...I know you wanted more...at one point.” she says carefully.

“I did.” he says and nods his head. “But I’ve had time to accept that we’d be nothing more, so what am I supposed to do now that you do, in fact, want more? I’m just supposed to say okay?” 

She sniffles, feeling tears brim her eyes because she knows he’s right. She knows that she can’t just backtrack and expect him to fall at her feet. And she feels even more terrible for thinking he would. Because what does that say about her? 

She brings her arms to her nose and rubs the small bit of snot that has formed from trying to keep herself together. Lifting her gaze to his, she blinks back the tears, “I’m sorry,” she chokes and shrugs helplessly, “I guess I just fooled myself into thinking I didn’t want more.” 

“Sakura…” he says softly and grasps for her hand but she pulls away. “I just…” he sighs and pinches his brow in concentration, “I wanted to _know_ you. I wanted to take you out. To do things together. Not just run into one another, fuck, and then leave.” 

“You did?” she asks softly and he nods his head. 

Her heart is racing in her chest at the question that refuses to leave her mouth. Her face suddenly feels hot and her hands have turned clammy. “Do you…” she struggles to get out and takes a deep breath, “do you still want that?”

He looks at her, and it’s as if he was anticipating that question. He puts his hands in his pockets and casts his gaze towards the ground, not completely looking at her. A slight shrug and a shake of his head is all he gives her before saying, “I don’t know.” 

Sakura bites her lip and sniffles slightly. Nodding her head, she looks down at herself and makes sure she’s presentable enough to leave. Because that’s really all she wants. To get the fuck out of there and either drink her weight in whatever cheap liquor is down there or collapse into her bed and cry herself to sleep. Either option is far better than having to endure standing in her bathroom on the verge of a total breakdown in front of him. 

She wipes the tears from her eyes and murmurs a small, “Okay,” before pushing past him and opening the door. She hears him let out a tired sigh and say her name once more before walking out into the hall—intent on getting as far away from him as possible. 

Walking down the stairs, she does her best to hide her face because she knows her eyes are swollen from holding back tears. She finds Yamato in the hallway talking to someone and she does her best to skirt by him. 

She can hear Kakashi behind her but she doesn’t pay him any mind. She can feel Yamato’s gaze on her though. Can feel it follow her as she steps past him with Kakashi close behind her. A sniffle works its way up her nose and before she knows it she hears—

“Sakura?” 

She makes the mistake of turning her head, face red and a few tears pinned to her cheeks. The look on Yamato’s face is of confusion, but when he looks behind to find Kakashi reaching for the front door, she realizes he’s putting two thoughts together that makes her stomach _drop._

“Yamato, wait—“

But it’s too late. Because in what seems like meer _seconds_ chaos ensues—which leaves her absolutely reeling _._ Her eyes are wide and mouth agape in shock as she just watches two bodies being thrust into her front yard. 

It starts with Kakashi taking only two meager steps out of her house before Yamato calls out to him. Then, after getting his attention, a fist flies towards Kakashi—which he dodges with ease. Kakashi’s own fist connects with Yamato’s side, sending him to the ground. The two continue to trade shots at one another as Sakura runs out of the house, hands on her head as she watches and screams in disbelief.

Luckily the music is so loud that no one except a few stragglers outside take notice. She screams and screams and _screams_ for what seems like an eternity but they don’t stop. She tells them they’re out of their minds but they don’t stop. Don’t pay her any mind as they continue with this asinine brawl.

Her screams become drowned out. Even to herself. All she can hear is a ringing in her ears and after what seems like forever she sees Genma out of the corner of her eye, forcing himself between them as the two break apart. Kakashi spits onto the ground and she sees blood splatter on the concrete, shaking his head and wiping the blood from his mouth as he walks down her driveway along with Genma. Yamato rubs at his jaw as he just stands in her yard and watches the two leave, leaving Sakura to wonder if she should chase on after him or not. 

She’s about to do just that before she feels a hand grab her arm from behind. “Sakura, what the _fuck_?” she hears and then turns to find Ino, who has a look of immense confusion and surprise on her face. Everything becomes drowned out, and the next thing she knows she’s running towards the house. Intent on downing whatever drinks she can get her damn hands on. 

And the last thing she remembers before blacking out entirely is lying across the toilet, emptying out the contents of her stomach with the company of someone behind her.

  
  


* * *

  
  


She wakes up the next day with a massive headache. 

And to the small of bacon. And eggs. And maybe...pancakes?

She groans loudly at the bit of sun that has hit her face _just_ enough to pierce through her eyelids. She lets out a hiss in discomfort at the rhythmic pounding in her head and the light that has entered her room—signaling a new day—when she was really betting on the Earth to cease rotating on its axis.

She resists the urge to look at her phone and instead gets herself up—slowly so. She can still smell what she thinks is breakfast downstairs, and she hopes to the high heavens that Yamato is not there. Swinging her legs off the bed, she brings herself to a stand and looks down at herself—thankful that she’s out of that horrendous costume she was wearing. She shakes her head as memories from only hours ago flood her mind, making her headache even worse. The urge to hurl again overcomes her but she knows the contents of her stomach are empty. Images of Ino holding her hair back as she retched into the downstairs toilet makes her head start to spin again. And to make matters worse the smell of breakfast only confuses her mind and body further—with the want to eat but fear she won’t be able to keep it down.

Begrudgingly, she drags herself to her bedroom door and turns the knob to pull it open. She looks around and finds that at least her top floor looks to be in fine shape and that the party had, thankfully, kept itself downstairs. She’d concern herself with cleaning later as she reaches the stairs and begins her slow descent. The sound of clattering and plates fills her ears when she steps off the landing and circles the wall leading to her kitchen, finding none other than Ino fishing for silverware in a drawer.

She really shouldn’t be so surprised. 

“Hey you.” she hears as Ino lifts her gaze to Sakura— stumbling towards the kitchen island. 

A wave and groan is all she can really muster as she climbs onto a barstool. Ino passes over a tall glass of water and two aspirin, which Sakura happily accepts. 

“I wasn’t sure if you were in the mood for breakfast—or what for, I guess. So I just went ahead and made a bunch of stuff.” Ino says as she gestures at the food already prepared on the stove. 

“Thanks, Ino,” Sakura croaks as she takes a large gulp of water, “I’m sure I’ll pick at it throughout the day.” 

“Sure.” Ino says with a kind smile as she turns to make her way towards the coffee maker. 

Sakura looks down at her hands which are circled around the glass of water and shifts her gaze left and right, just now noticing how there’s not much mess to be cleaned up. A few plastic cups are scattered on various surfaces but the ground is almost pristine. Her brows wrinkle as she brings her gaze back to Ino. “Did you clean the place up, too?”

“Yeah.” she says as she pours coffee into her mug. “Ten stayed a while after you fell asleep to help out.” 

She closes her eyes and lets out a long, deep sigh. Shame pools in her stomach as she brings a hand to her forehead. “Was it really that bad?” 

“Well…” Ino pauses as she walks along the counter and towards Sakura. “It was...eventful.” 

“It was bad.” Sakura groans as she lays her forehead on the counter. 

“No,” Ino says with as little confidence as ever and Sakura feels a hand begin to rub her back, “It was totally fine when you factor out the drunken speech, singing, close-call vomiting, and you know, the…” she breathes and pauses her movements, “fight.” she says in a near whisper. 

A beat of silence passes as she realizes she had, in fact, blacked out after the fight and she lets out a pained groan. “I’m a terrible person.” 

“ _No,_ Sakura. No. You’re not.”

“Yes I am.” she says as she picks her head back up to look at Ino. “I’m the most horrible person on Earth.” 

“Well I think those responsible for genicide are maybe—”

“You know what I mean.” Sakura groans and covers her face with her hands. 

Ino resumes rubbing her back as Sakura does her best to keep the tears at bay and save her headache from getting any worse. “Do you want to...talk about it?”

“Ino, _no.”_

“Well you can’t blame me! A fight broke out in your front yard between two dudes and it had _everything_ to do with you.” 

“Again, terrible person.” Sakura reiterates. 

“And if you started connecting the dots for me then maybe I could try and make you feel better.”

Sakura removes her hands from her face and crosses them on the counter. She closes her eyes and lets out a deep breath, allowing a few tears to fall—even though she doesn’t want to. She’s just far too tired to hold them back and she welcomes the feel of Ino rubbing her back. 

“There you go.” she soothes. “Just let it all out now.” 

Nodding her head, the tears begin to fall freely. She sniffs and coughs and knows that it’s not her most glamorous of moments but it feels _good_ —even with the pounding in her head. Tears stream down her face as Ino continues to rub her back, remaining silent as her cries fill the kitchen. 

“I fucked up, Ino.” she sobs. “I fucked up so bad.” 

“Yeah, I gathered that from last night.” 

“No, I mean, with Kakashi.” 

“Again,” she says with a small laugh, “I gathered that from last night.” 

Sakura blinks through the last of her tears and nods her head. “Have you, I mean, has he—”

“Come over here? No. And I doubt he will.” 

She sighs and nods her head, not noticing the confused look on Ino’s face. “Why? Do you _want_ him to?”

“I mean, I’d like to see him. Make sure he’s okay.” 

“Um, well, if it’s any consolation I think he’s doing better than Yamato.” 

Sakura’s eyes widen. “Oh my god, what do you mean by that? Is he hurt?” 

“Well…” Ino says with a hesitant breath, “I think he may have a broken nose or something…”

“Oh _god…”_ Sakura exclaims and puts her head in her hands once more. “Those two were friends and I just totally ruined it.” 

“They’ll be fine.” Ino urges and Sakura lifts her head to give her a look. “It was just dudes being dudes, you know? They’ll buy each other a beer and forget about it.” 

“Yeah, but, Yamato thought that he...you know.” 

Ino winces slightly and nods her head. “I know.” 

“ _God_ third ring of hell party of one.” 

“Sakura you have _got_ to tell me what happened because if Kakashi—”

“No! Jeez he did nothing of the sort! We just had a...disagreement.” 

“That doesn’t sound much better.”

“Look,” Sakura says as she swivels in her stool to position herself towards Ino. All she can say, all she can really _do_ is start from the beginning. Back when this whole thing started a few months ago. 

“I..okay I’ll just start at the beginning.” she says and Ino nods her head. “When I first met him, I don’t know I just—I thought this whole ‘friends with benefits’ thing was what I wanted. And I thought we were on the same page but...when I told him that I...well I sort of got the impression he wasn’t okay with it. But I ignored it. Because it’s not like he can argue and say he wants more. And all this time I’ve been pushing my own feelings down. Then yesterday at the party we were in the bathroom and I could tell he was jealous about Yamato and I just _caved_ and told him how I really feel and he said I can’t just flip flop like this and he’s _right_ and I know he’s right...” she knows she’s rambling and she can hardly keep up with herself. Everything she’s admitting makes her feel terrible and she’s avoiding Ino’s gaze on purpose. 

She stops when she runs out of breath and brings a hand to her forehead. Her head is absolutely pounding and she decides she’s done with talking for now. Mostly to save herself from vomiting again at the churning she feels resumed in her stomach.

“Well...now I at least understand.” 

Sakura nods her head. “But am I as terrible as I think I am?” 

“Let’s get one thing straight.” Ino starts and it has Sakura’s heart race with concern. “You are _not_ a terrible person. You’re human. We fuck with our feelings. At the same time, Kakashi has every right to be upset and, well…”

She can tell Ino wants to say more and continues to just stare as Ino lets out a helpless sigh, “He can say no if he wants to. He may just be saving himself from getting hurt too.” 

Sakura turns from Ino and fixes her gaze forward. She’s not sure what to make of what she’s said. It upsets her—greatly. Enough so that she can feel fresh tears well up in her eyes again. But she quickly blinks them away and sniffles slightly. “ I know.” 

“My advice?” she says as Sakura throws her a quizzical glance. Ino smiles softly and places a hand on her back once more. “Give it time.” 

Sakura nods her head. She knows Ino is right. And whether time proves to be in her favor—she’ll just have to wait and see. But she can’t help the gnawing in her gut that wants things fixed right this second. The impatience in her wants to see him. Wants to apologize profusely. Wants to just _be_ with him. But she knows Ino is right. 

She has to give it time. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry about Kakashi and Yamato! They'll be right as rain by the end of this. Just boys being boys.
> 
> Leave a comment and let me know what ya'll think of this turn of events.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment if you would be so kind!


End file.
